NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE IN DEVELOPING RETINAS AND AFTER OPTIC TRACT SECTION

We compared the pattern of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunoreactivit y in retinas of rats during normal development and after unilateral tr ansection of the optic tract at postnatal day 7. NOS was first detecte d in the second postnatal week in the inner nuclear and inner plexifor m layers. There was no detectable difference in the overall pattern of immunoreactivity between normal retinas and retinas with severe loss of ganglion cells due to the lesion. We suggest that NOS may have a ro le in synaptic and vascular development in the inner retina, but is un likely to play a major role in normal physiological retinal ganglion c ell death or axotomy-induced cell death. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V .