INDUCTION OF AXON-LIKE PROCESSES FROM AXOTOMIZED RETINAL GANGLION-CELLS OF ADULT HAMSTERS AFTER INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF SCIATIC-NERVE EXUDATE

WE have shown previously that intravitreous transplantation of a perip heral nerve (PN) graft stimulates a subpopulation of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to sprout axon-like processes. The present study examined whether the effect of PN graft was due to diffusible factors released from the graft. Injection of sciatic nerve exudate into vitreous of t he eye induced the formation of axon-like processes. Significantly mor e RGCs with axon-like processes were stained after injection of exudat e from the distal stump than the proximal stump of the transected scia tic nerve. Thus, our results showed that trophic factors released from the intravitreous PN can induce the formation of axon-like processes and that more trophic factors are secreted from the distal than the pr oximal stump of the transected sciatic nerve.