L. Galliresta et M. Ensini, AN INTRINSIC TIME LIMIT BETWEEN GENESIS AND DEATH OF INDIVIDUAL NEURONS IN THE DEVELOPING RETINAL GANGLION-CELL LAYER, The Journal of neuroscience, 16(7), 1996, pp. 2318-2324
We tested the possibility that a temporal relationship exists between
genesis and death of individual neurons dying during development. For
this purpose, we labeled neurons born in limited time intervals and de
termined when they die in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the rat ret
ina. We found that most neurons that die do so within a maximal interv
al of 5 d after their birth, irrespective of the age of genesis or of
the cell type. These findings suggest the existence of a cellular cloc
k regulating neuronal death during development. We found also that neu
rons migrate in no less than 3 d to the GCL, where a majority of cells
that die remain a maximum of 2 d. This fast cellular turnover implies
that the magnitude of neuronal death is far greater than previously b
elieved.