Identity of cells produced by two stages of cytogenesis in the postnatal cat retina.

Cytogenesis in the postnatal cat retina was studied with the aid of 3H-thymidine autoradiography to identify the cell classes generated. Cells proliferate in two stages, which are separate spatially and temporally. Previous studies have shown that during Stage 1, cytogenesis occurs at high density at the ventricular surface of the retina, whereas Stage 2 occurs at low density in the inner retinal layers. At the ages studied, the progeny of Stage 1 cytogenesis are distributed in an annulus toward the margin of the retina, and those of Stage 2 occur central to the annulus, indicating that Stage 2 follows Stage 1. Cell genesis in Stage 1 appears to cease by P16; genesis in Stage 2 persists until between P21 and P30. The same cell classes (amacrine cells, bipolar cells, Müller cells, and rod photoreceptors) are generated during both Stages 1 and 2, but there are significant changes in their proportions both within and between stages. The proportion of the Stage 1 mitoses that form bipolar cells increases from 31% at P0 to 62% at P14. A corresponding decrease is observed in the proportion of rods (from 60% at P0 to 32% at P14). The proportion of cells generated during Stage 2 that become rods increases from 39% at P0 to 70% at P21, whereas the proportion of bipolar cells decreases from 50% at P0 to 23% at P21. Müller cells form a relatively constant proportion (8 to 15%) of the cells generated during both Stage 1 and 2. Thus at the end of Stage 1, mostly bipolar cells are generated; at the end of Stage 2, mostly rods are generated.