Effect of early unilateral visual deprivation on cholinergic muscarinic receptors and acetylcholinesterase in chick optic lobe.

Chicks of 1-8 days after hatching were submitted to unilateral visual deprivation and, in both optic lobes, muscarinic receptors, labeled with L-[3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate [( 3H]L-QNB) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were assayed. Between 1 and 6 days the number of [3H]L-QNB binding sites was lower in the contralateral optic lobe; the AChE underwent a drastic reduction (-42% at 2 days); later on the differences became not significant. The pre- and postsynaptic localization of the two cholinergic markers and the possible influence of light on axonal transport are discussed.