Factors Affecting Regeneration of the Retinotectal Projection

Citation

Meyer, Ronald Leo (1974) Factors Affecting Regeneration of the Retinotectal Projection. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/qyhf-s343. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:02092021-000143126

Abstract

Factors affecting the orderliness of the regenerated retinotectal projection were studied by inducing various size disparities between the retina and tectum of goldfish and tree frog. Behavioral, autoradiographic, and electrophysiological measurements showed that the plastic compression of the projection previously found and here confirmed for goldfish does not occur in half tectum frog, In fish, eye lesions and optic fiber transplants between tecta confirm Sperry's chemoaffinity hypothesis but show that this retinotectal affinity is not sufficient to prevent misgrowth. In addition, competitive and possibly chemoaffinity interactions between optic fibers were found that might explain the plasticity of the goldfish retinotectal system.

Thesis Files