The avian pecten provides a potent substrate for growth and development of dissociated embryonic neural implants

A cell suspension of the optic tecta of 3-day-old chick embryos was injected into the vitreal chamber of 2-day-old posthatch chicks. After a 14-21-day survival period, examination of eyeballs showed that all implants survived and, in 50% of cases, were attached to the pecten. The implants had proliferated and showed a laminated pattern of organization, with small cells in the superficial regions and large cells in the deep regions of the implant. The implants also contained a well-developed neuropil with mature synapses. The host retina was not affected by the presence of the implant. We suggest that the avian pecten represents a highly amenable structure for studies involving the response(s) by damaged retinae to neural implants.