Radioautographic study on DNA synthesis of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium of developing mouse embryos.

We report the changes of proliferative activity of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of mouse embryos by detecting cells in the S-phase by light microscopic radioautography using 3H-thymidine. The eyes germs of mouse embryos at the embryonic days 9.5 (E 9.5), E 11.5, E 13.0, E 15.5, E 18.5 of gestational ages, were used for this experiment. Small pieces of the ocular tissues were labelled with 3H-TDR in vitro and light microscopic radioautographs were prepared. The labeling indices of the respective regions of tissues were calculated. Both tissues of retina and RPE showed high percentages of labeling indices from 10% to 50% through the developmental stages. The labeling indices of both tissues in earlier stages were generally higher than those of later stages, and gradually decreased in the later stages. However, the retina and RPE showed different courses of the changes of labeling indices respectively during the embryonic development. In the retina, the labeling indices in the vitreal portions were more than those in the scleral portions during the earlier developmental stages. However, in the later stages, the indices of scleral portions were more than those in the vitreal portions. Comparing the three regions of retina, the labeling indices of the anterior regions were generally higher than those of the equatorial and posterior regions, especially in the vitreal portion. Remarkable differences among three regions were not found in the scleral portion. In the RPE, the labeling indices gradually increased in the anterior region, but decreased in the equatorial and the posterior regions through all the developmental stages. The proliferation of both retina and RPE in the central region occurred earlier than those of the peripheral region.