Optic Disc and Optic Nerve of the Blind Cape Mole-Rat ( Georychus capensis): A Proposed Model for Naturally Occurring Reactive Gliosis

Recent studies of the visual system of animal species that live in a subterranean environment show not only regressive but also progressive morphological features. In this regard the aim of the present investigation is to describe the structural organisation of the eye and optic nerve of the adult C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain research bulletin 1997, Vol.44 (5), p.627-632
Main Author: Omlin, François X.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Astrocytes - cytology
Astrocytes - ultrastructure
Axons - ultrastructure
Blind Cape mole-rat
Blindness
Disease Models, Animal
Gliosis
Guinea Pigs
Intercellular Junctions - ultrastructure
Intermediate Filaments - ultrastructure
Microscopy, Electron
Mole Rats - anatomy & histology
Myelin Sheath - ultrastructure
Optic disc
Optic Disk - cytology
Optic Disk - pathology
Optic Disk - ultrastructure
Optic nerve
Optic Nerve - cytology
Optic Nerve - pathology
Optic Nerve - ultrastructure
Rats
Reactive gliosis
South Africa
Species Specificity
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Summary:Recent studies of the visual system of animal species that live in a subterranean environment show not only regressive but also progressive morphological features. In this regard the aim of the present investigation is to describe the structural organisation of the eye and optic nerve of the adult Cape mole-rat, with special emphasis on both glial cell population and myelination. The main results are: (a) astrocytes show identical features to those occurring in reactive gliosis; (b) optic fibers vary greatly in diameter; (c) very small axons are myelinated and are often surrounded by a thicker sheath than larger optic fibers; (d) a large onion bulb-like structure composed of optic fibers, glia, and ganglion cells is found within the choriocapillary layer. These results suggest that the Cape mole-rat and probably other subterranean rodents may serve as a model to study spontaneous gliosis as well as mechanisms involved in myelination and degenerative processes.
ISSN:0361-9230
1873-2747
DOI:10.1016/S0361-9230(97)00283-9