Selective depletion of beta cells affects the development of alpha cells in cat retina.

The results of previous studies suggest that class-specific interactions contribute to the development of the different classes of retinal ganglion cells. We tested this hypothesis by examining the morphologies and distributions of alpha (alpha) cells in regions of mature cat retina selectively depleted of beta (beta) cells as a result of visual cortex lesions at birth. We find that alpha cells in regions of central retina depleted of beta cells are abnormally large while alpha cells in regions of peripheral retina depleted of beta cells are abnormally small. The normal central-to-peripheral alpha cell soma-size gradient is absent in hemiretinae depleted of beta cells. The dendritic fields of alpha cells in the border of beta-cell-depleted hemiretina extend preferentially into the beta-cell-poor hemiretina. In spite of this, alpha cell bodies retain their normal retinal distribution and remain distributed in a nonrandom mosaic-like pattern. Thus, it appears that the development of alpha retinal ganglion cells is influenced by interactions both with other alpha cells (class-specific interactions) and with surrounding beta cells (nonclass-specific interactions).