Chronic hypoxemia: Effects on developing nitrergic and dopaminergic amacrine cells

Abstract

PURPOSE. Very low birth weight and growth-restricted children have visual impairments including reduced contrast sensitivity, a parameter mediated in part by dopaminergic amacrine cells. The origin of these deficits is uncertain. In experimental fetal growth restriction, induced by placental insufficiency, the morphology and number of dopaminergic amacrine cells as identified by tyrosine hydroxylase staining were examined. In addition, the subclass of nitrergic amacrine cells was examined because nitric oxide released from nitric oxide synthase- containing neurons is proposed as a mediator of neurotoxicity and might contribute to the injury of dopaminergic amacrine cells in this situation. M..