PATTERN OF POLYAMINES AND RELATED MONOACETYL DERIVATIVES IN CHICK-EMBRYO RETINA DURING DEVELOPMENT

Polyamines and related monoacetyl derivatives were studied in chick em bryo retina during development (6th-19th day). Putrescine, which is hi gh in the first phase of retinogenesis, is necessary to sustain both t issue proliferation and via N-acetylputrescine, gamma-aminobutyric aci d synthesis. A later increase in spermidine and particularly spermine may play a role in the last phase of development when the retina reach es maturation. The presence of N-1-acetylspermidine already at the 8th day indicates that in chick embryo retina, putrescine synthesis can d epend on two separate pathways. The first involves ornithine decarboxy lase activity; the second, spermidine/spermine N-1-acetlytransferase a nd probably polyamine oxidase that converts spermidine to putrescine v ia N-1-acetylspermidine.