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Short Communication

Exp Neurobiol 2018; 27(1): 28-33

Published online February 28, 2018

https://doi.org/10.5607/en.2018.27.1.28

© The Korean Society for Brain and Neural Sciences

The Transient Intermediate Plexiform Layer, a Plexiform Layer-like Structure Temporarily Existing in the Inner Nuclear Layer in Developing Rat Retina

Hyung Wook Park1, Hong-Lim Kim2, Yong Soo Park1,3 and In-Beom Kim1,2,3,4*

1Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591,2Integrative Research Support Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591,3Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591,4Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea

Correspondence to: *To whom correspondence should be addressed.
TEL: 82-2-2258-7263, FAX: 82-2-536-3110
e-mail: ibkimmd@catholic.ac.kr

Received: October 27, 2017; Revised: November 20, 2017; Accepted: November 20, 2017

The retina is a highly specialised part of the brain responsible for visual processing. It is well-laminated; three layers containing five different types of neurons are compartmentalised by two synaptic layers. Among the retinal layers, the inner nuclear layer (INL) is composed of horizontal, bipolar, and amacrine cell types. Bipolar cells form one sublayer in the distal half of the IPL, while amacrine cells form another sublayer in the proximal half, without any border-like structure. Here, we report that a plexiform layer-like structure exists temporarily in the border between the bipolar and amacrine sublayers in the INL in the rat retina during retinal development. This transient intermediate plexiform layer (TIPL) appeared at postnatal day (PD) 7 and then disappeared around PD 12. Most apoptotic cells in the INL were found near the TIPL. These results suggest that the TIPL may contribute to the formation of sublayers and the cell number limit in the INL.

Graphical Abstract


Keywords: Apoptosis, Development, Positioning, Retina