Changes of Calretinin-Immunoreactivities in the Rat Superior Collicuclus after Eye Enucleation / 체질인류학회지

ABSTRACT

Calcium-binding proteins play an important role in the protection, differentiation, and reorganization of the central nervous system. The effects of neonatal retinal deafferentiation on calretinin, and tracing of retinotectal pathway were examined immunohistochemically in the superficial layer of the rat superior colliculus. Tracing with cholera toxin was revealed on the superior colliculus contralateral to the ocular injection. On the contralateral side of superior colliculus, the calretinin-immunoreactive (IR) cells were dramatically increased, calretinin-IR fibers were markedly decreased in the superficial layer. These results show that retinal deafferentation results in an increase of calretinin-immunoreactive cells within the superficial layers of the superior colliculus, which suggest reorganization of neurons in superior colliculus.