The generation and changing retinal distribution of displaced amacrine cells in Bufo marinus from metamorphosis to adult.

The generation and retinal distribution of displaced amacrine cells (DAs) were studied from metamorphosis to adult in the cane toad Bufo marinus. Displaced amacrine cells were identified by inducing chromatolytic changes in ganglion cells (GCs) following optic nerve section. Cells that did not chromatolyse in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the retina were regarded as DAs. The number of DAs increased considerably from an estimated 10,000 at metamorphosis to 211,000 in the adult toad, and was accompanied by a substantial decrease of average cell density. In contrast to the reported 6:1 cell density gradient of all cells of the GCL in adult toad (Nguyen and Straznicky 1989) only a shallow 1.6:1 density gradient of DAs from the visual streak to the dorsal and ventral retinal margins was detected. Consequently, the incidence of DAs increased from 15% of all cells of the GCL in the visual streak to 30% in the dorsal and ventral peripheral retina. These results indicate that the ratio of the newly generated DAs and GCs at the ciliary margin must be changing during development. More GCs are generated before and around metamorphosis then DAs, in contrast to the relative increase of the percentage of DAs generated after metamorphosis. The possible control of the numbers of DAs in the GCL is discussed.