[Development of microphthalmos in Mi wh/mi fi/fi and Mi wh/mi or/or mice]

Eye development has been studied in 10-16-day-old embryos and newborn mice, genotypes Miwh/mi fi/fi, Miwh/mi or/or, Miwh/mi, or/or, fi/fi and wild-type (+/+) (normal mice from the inbred strain C57Bl/Mib). It has been demonstrated that the mitotic index of the primordial retina of embryos Miwh/mi fi/fi and Miwh/mi or/or does not differ from that of fi/fi and or/or embryos. Genes fi and or manifest their effects in Miwh/mi fi/fi and Miwh/mi or/or embryos, decreasing the mitotic index of the primordial retina. Owing the effects manifested by the genes fi and or in Miwh/mi fi/fi and Miwh/mi or/or embryos it is possible to assume that the nearer the activity of ectomesenchyme approaches the normal, the greater the effects of the genes controlling the development of the eye vesicle and the retina anlage.