Linser P ; Moscona AA ;

Ann N Y Acad Sci vol. 429   pp. 430-46, 1984

We have generated a series of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to mammalian, avian, and osteichthian CA II for the purpose of studying its distribution in vertebrate nervous systems. In mature chicken retina, CA II is immunohistochemically detectable only in Muller glial cells. However, during embryonic development, CA II expression is suddenly 'switched-on' early as a general constituent of all retinoblasts, later becoming restricted to Muller cells and transiently to a distinct type of amacrine neuron. A similar developmental pattern occurs in mouse. However, at maturity high CA II levels remain in certain amacrine neurons in addition to Muller cells. Comparative analyses of mature retinas of lower vertebrates show that reptiles parallel chicken with high CA II only in Muller cells, certain amphibians show CA II staining in Muller cells, amacrine neurons as in mouse, and in horizontal neurons, teleost and elasmobranch fish possess high CA II in Muller cells and the horizontal neurons, and lamprey eel shows CA II staining primarily in horizontal cells. An evolutionary sequence that will be discussed is thus suggested.

Aging ;  Animal ;  Carbonate Dehydratase: metabolism ;  Comparative Study ;  Fluorescent Antibody Technique ;  Histocytochemistry ;  Immunoenzyme Techniques ;  Isoenzymes: metabolism ;  Retina: enzymology: growth & development ;  Species Specificity ;  58260 ;