Differential distribution of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated neurofilaments within the retina and optic nerve of hamsters.

Retinae and optic nerve sections from adult hamsters were reacted with antibodies against phosphorylated (P) or non-phosphorylated (NP) neurofilament proteins. NP epitopes were observed within ganglion cell bodies and extended into the proximal portion of the optic nerve. P epitopes became prominent within axons as they approached the optic disc and remained throughout the optic nerve. This spatial distribution appears similar to the pattern of myelination within this axonal population.