The development of the retinopetal nucleus olfacto-retinalis of two cichlid fish as revealed by horseradish peroxidase

Abstract

Adult patterns and the development of the nucleus of origin of centrifugal innervation of the retina, the nucleus olfacto-retinalis (NOR), were studied with horseradish peroxidase in 2 cichlid fish species. In the adults large and small cells within the nuclear boundaries can be distinguished by their cytoarchitecture and their HRP-labelling. The NOR is already formed at hatching (5.5 days post-spawning) but cannot be filled by HRP injections into one eye until 2 days later. The number of labelled neurons increases steadily until adult cell density is reached. Later larval stages show that the NOR neurons also increase in size. The two cell types found in the adult can first be distinguished at around 30 days post-spawning. Early unilateral enucleation reduces the density of the small cells in the contralateral NOR. In spite of different environmental constraints on the growth of the larvae, the NOR develops in a similar way in both species but always somewhat later in the substrate-spawner than in the mouth-brooder. The centrifugal innervation of bird (isthmo-optic nucleus, ION) and fish (NOR) retinae starts at comparable developmental stages of the retina, but no cell death as found in the developing ION in birds occurs in the developing NOR in fish. It is suggested that this is due to the constant adjustment of the NOR to the ever increasing cell numbers in the fish retina. The NOR is thus the only known centrifugally projecting nucleus in vertebrates which lacks extensive degenerating patterns during early development. The known LH-RH immunoreactivity, the two cell types, the early development, and the projection to the retina of the NOR in cichlid fish resemble closely characteristics of the ganglion of the terminalis nerve of other piscine species.