Paradoxical increase of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive retinopetal fibers in the weaver mouse

Weaver mice undergo apoptosis of the granule cell precursors of the cerebel lum and nonapoptotic death of mesencephalic dopaminergic cells during post- natal development. In contrast, the number of retinal dopaminergic cells wa s transiently increased in weaver compared to control mice [C. Savy, E. Mar tin-Martinelli, A. Simon, C. Duyckaerts, C. Verney, C. Adelbrecht, R. Raism an-Vozari, J. Nguyen-Legros, Altered development of dopaminergic cells in t he retina of weaver mice, J. Comp. Neurol. 1999;412:656-668]. While re-exam ining the retinas, we observed, in the nerve fiber layer, retinopetal tyros ine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers, which were dramatically increased in number throughout development and adulthood in the weaver compared to cont rol mice. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.