Summary
Using specific substrates and inhibitors, the presence of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (B-esterase) and arylesterase (A-esterase) has been histochemically studied in the developing mouse retina.
In the neural retina the perikarya of the Müller cells, ganglion cells and horizontal cells showed high B-esterase activity at the initial stages of their development. In the Müller cells, a second peak of B-esterase activity, coinciding with the time of formation of their lateral processes, was found.
AChE first appeared in the ganglion cells at birth and increased thereafter. With the progress of synaptic development, AChE activity in the ganglion cell perikarya was reduced while the enzyme rapidly accumulated in the inner plexiform layer. AChE was also localized in the horizontal cells at the initial stage of their development and completely disappeared thereafter. AChE activity was localized in the outer plexiform layer at the time of weaning.
A-esterase was detected in the ganglion cells only and appeared to be lysosomal.
In the pigment epithelium only B-esterase was present. The enzyme first appeared in the late prenatal period and rapidly increased after birth.
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Bhattacharjee, J., Sanyal, S. Developmental changes of esterases in the retina of the mouse: Histochemical study. Histochemistry 46, 53–60 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02463560
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02463560