The effects of the fibre environment on the paths taken by regenerating optic nerve fibres in Xenopus.

The paths taken by fibres regenerating to the tectum from various parts of the Xenopus retina were investigated in whole-mount preparations, after localized retinal labelling with HRP. The effects of different environments on the fibres were studied by comparing contralateral with ipsilateral regeneration, in the presence of the other eye or after it had been removed in embryonic life. Under all conditions fibres from the various parts of the retina regenerated to the corresponding appropriate parts of the tectum, but they took a variety of pathways, some grossly abnormal, to get there. Contralaterally regenerating fibres tended to behave less abnormally than ipsilateral fibres; and regeneration in the absence of the other eye tended to be more abnormal than in its presence. In any one category of regeneration the most nearly normal pathways were those of fibres from temporal retina, followed by ventral, nasal and dorsal fibres. Fibres regenerating from all parts of the retina, in the presence of the other eye, tended to become gathered into the medial brachium as they approached the tectum. All regenerating fibres approached their tectal terminations by one or more of three main pathways: round one or both brachia, thus encircling the tectum to get to their terminal zone; directly across the tectum; or by passing on to the tectum before changing course. The changes of direction required to enable fibres wrongly positioned in the tract to reach their correct terminal zones were frequently sudden and considerable, and took place on the tectum or at the tectodiencephalic junction. The results are discussed in relation to the differing substrates over which the fibres regenerate.