Kainic acid destroys displaced amacrine cells in post-hatch chicken retina.

Laser-induced axotomy of chicken retinal ganglion cells leads to the death of the cells. This leaves intact a population of small neurons in the retinal ganglion cell layer which accounts for 30-35% of the total cells in that layer. The cells which are resistant to axotomy are destroyed by intraocular injection of kainic acid, whereas ganglion cells are not killed. We suggest that the population of small, axotomy-resistant, kainic acid-sensitive neurons corresponds to the displaced amacrine cells reported by other workers.