Retinal axons innervate the embryonic chick diencephalon in an in-vivo-like pattern in explant co-cultures.

Explants of chick embryo diencephalon co-cultured with explants of retina display areas of complex neuropil containing large retinal-like endings which establish synaptic contact with conventional and presynaptic dendrites. Transection of fibre bundles linking retinal to diencephalic explants results in the degeneration of endings of this type, suggesting that axons of extrinsic (retinal) origin innervate the diencephalic explants in an in-vivo-like manner.