ABSTRACT Fish grow throughout life1 and new neurones are added to the retina as the eyes increase in size2–6. As the retina expands, the density of cells decreases: ganglion cells, cones and

cells in the inner nuclear layer are spaced further apart in retinas from larger (older) fish2–5,7–9. In contrast, the density of rods increases during larval development and is then

maintained approximately constant as the adult eye grows2–5. Previous developmental studies, in which 3H-thymidine was used to identify proliferating cells, revealed a germinal zone at the

margin of the retina. The germinal cells divide to produce new retinal neurones which are added annularly at the perimeter of the growing retina5,6,10. A similar circumferential pattern of

rods throughout the retina could explain how the proportion of rods relative to other neurones increases as the retinas of fish grow2–4,7. Preliminary reports of these experiments have

appeared elsewhere16,17. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your

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FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS ANCIENT ORIGIN OF THE ROD BIPOLAR CELL PATHWAY IN THE VERTEBRATE RETINA Article 16 April 2024 A SINGLE-CELL ATLAS OF

THE BOBTAIL SQUID VISUAL AND NERVOUS SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS MOLECULAR PRINCIPLES OF CONVERGENT EVOLUTION Article Open access 06 June 2025 SINGLE CONES GIVE RISE TO MULTI-CONE TYPES IN THE RETINAS

OF FISHES Article Open access 06 March 2025 REFERENCES * Brown, M. E. _The Physiology of Fishes_ Vol. 1 (Academic, New York, 1957). Google Scholar  * Müller, H. _Zool. Jb._ 63, 275–324

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Google Scholar  * Johns, P. R. _Invest. Ophthal. vis. Sci._ Suppl. 20, 150 (1981). Google Scholar  Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of

Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA Pamela Raymond Johns & Russell D. Fernald * Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403,

USA Pamela Raymond Johns & Russell D. Fernald Authors * Pamela Raymond Johns View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Russell D. Fernald

View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Johns, P., Fernald,

R. Genesis of rods in teleost fish retina. _Nature_ 293, 141–142 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/293141a0 Download citation * Received: 30 March 1981 * Accepted: 14 July 1981 * Issue Date:

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