PURPOSE: Very low birth weight and growth-restricted @entity1 have @entity227 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 @entity2431 , the morphology and number of dopaminergic amacrine cells as identified by @entity669 hydroxylase staining were examined. In addition, the subclass of nitrergic amacrine cells was examined because @entity842 released from @entity842 synthase- containing neurons is proposed as a mediator of @entity2359 and might contribute to the injury of dopaminergic amacrine cells in this situation. METHODS: Fetal @entity742 were subjected to 20 or 30 days of placental embolization leading to fetal @entity519 , @entity4053 , and growth restriction during the last third of gestation (term, approximately 147 days). Retinal tissue was prepared as wholemounts or cryostat sections and analyzed for retinal area, total number, density, somal size and cell process length of amacrine cells immunoreactive for @entity669 hydroxylase or @entity842 synthase, and widths of retinal layers. Retinas from fetal @entity742 at 72, 96, 113, and 140 days' gestation and adults were collected for an ontogenetic study of @entity669 hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons. RESULTS: In growth-restricted fetuses, the number of @entity669 hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons and the total length of stained processes per cell were significantly reduced compared to control fetuses. The total number of neuronal @entity842 synthase- containing neurons was not different between growth-restricted and control fetuses. The thickness of the inner retinal layers was reduced in @entity519 . CONCLUSIONS: There is damage to @entity669 hydroxylase-immunoreactive amacrine cells during fetal chronic @entity2431 . This damage might be involved in the altered retinal dopaminergic system observed in very low birth weight @entity1 , some of whom are growth-restricted. Furthermore, a differential susceptibility of @entity669 hydroxylase-immunoreactive and neuronal @entity842 synthase-containing amacrine cells to @entity130 has been demonstrated. These observations add to the current hypothesis that neuronal @entity842 synthase- containing neurons are resistant to @entity130 and may be involved in mediating some of the @entity528 that results from hypoxemic insults.

XXXX : effects on developing nitrergic and dopaminergic amacrine cells.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'infants'] @entity227 :: ('MESH:D014786', 'Disease') :: ['visual impairments'] @entity742 :: ('9940', 'Species') :: ['sheep'] @entity130 :: ('MESH:D014947', 'Disease') :: ['hypoxemic injury'] @entity2359 :: ('MESH:D020258', 'Disease') :: ['neurotoxicity'] @entity4053 :: ('MESH:D007003', 'Disease') :: ['hypoglycemia'] @entity519 :: ('MESH:D000860', 'Disease') :: ['hypoxemia'] @entity842 :: ('MESH:D009569', 'Chemical') :: ['nitric oxide'] @entity669 :: ('CHEBI:18186', 'Chemical') :: ['tyrosine'] @entity528 :: ('MESH:D009410', 'Disease') :: ['neuronal damage'] @entity2431 :: ('MESH:D010927', 'Disease') :: ['placental insufficiency']
@entity519 :: (MESH:D000860,Disease) :: ['Chronic hypoxemia']
