Parallel Morphological and Functional Development in the Xenopus Retinotectal System.

ABSTRACT: The retinotectal projection in Xenopus laevis is topographically organized. During the early development of the Xenopus visual system, the optic tectum increases considerably in volume, and retinotectal axons and dendrites undergo extensive activity-dependent remodeling. We have previously observed marked changes in the three-dimensional layout of the tectal retinotopic functional map over the course of a few days. This raised the question of whether such functional reorganization might be attributable to the migration and structural remodeling of tectal neurons as the brain grows. To examine changes in map topography in the context of individual tectal neuron morphology and location, we performed calcium imaging in the optic tecta of GCaMP6s-expressing tadpoles in parallel with structural

SUBMITTER: Li VJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12756532 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature