Effect of x-irradiation on the development of the optic lobe of the chick embryo

Morphological and histological studies were done on the optic lobe of 8,10,14 and 18 days chick embryos exposed to X-irradiation [1000 R at 200 K.V.] 48 hours after incubation. It was found that there was a retardation of the development of the optic lobe of 8 and 10 days irradiated chick embryos as shown by reduction in the thickness of the wall of the optic lobe, and absence of some layers of the optic lobe. On the other hand, the morphogenesis of the optic lobe of 14 and 18 days irradiated chick embryos was nearly similar to the optic lobe of the control chick embryos of the same age; but the histologic findings showed that the perikaryon was small and the cytoplasmic processes were fragmented and few