Anterograde axoplasmic transport of peroxidase in the rat visual system after intraocular neurotoxin injection.

The effect of intraocular injection of the neurotoxin, kainic acid, on the retinofugal pathway has been examined by anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. Although less peroxidase was present in all the primary optic centers after the intraocular injection of kainic acid than in the controls, the area occupied by the retinal terminals remained fairly constant except for the pretectal region where there is a smaller area of peroxidase precipitate. These results suggest that certain ganglion cells are killed by kainic acid but some others survive and their terminals are present in the majority of the terminal fields.