An ultrastructural study of embryonic chick retinal neurons in culture

The differentiation of cells and synapses in explants of 9-day-old chick embryo retina has been studied by light and electron microscopy over a period of 35 days in vitro, and samples of retina from the 9-day chick foetus were directly fixed and prepared for study. At the time of explantation the retinae were poorly differentiated and no lamination was apparent. From day 14 onwards, outer and inner nuclear layers (ONL, INL) separated by a layer of neuropil corresponding to the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and a layer of scattered large ganglion cells separated from the INL by a zone of neuropil resembling the inner plexiform layer (IPL) were apparent, and a well-differentiated outer limiting membrane was established close to the surface of the explants. In the oldest cultures some development of photoreceptor outer segments occurred but a distinct optic nerve fibre layer did not form. Although cell identification presented problems even in the oldest cultures, the major retinal cell types described in vivo could be identified. Photoreceptor cells developed pedicles in the OPL which became filled with synaptic vesicles and synaptic ribbons and established ribbon synapses (including triads) with and were commonly invaginated by processes from horizontal and bipolar cells. Processes of bipolar cells in the IPL formed simple and dyad synapses. At least two types of presynaptic amacrine cells were also identified in the INL, one of which contained large numbers of dense-core vesicles. The ganglion cells, though sparse, were large and well differentiated. These findings show that all the major neuronal types of the retina are capable of developing and differentiating in vitro, lagging behind the time-table of development and differentiation in vivo by approximately 7 days, but resulting in a histotypically organised retina with synaptic neuropil showing many similarities to the corresponding neuropil in vivo.