Table 1

Schedule of retinotectal development in different anurans


E. coqui
D. pictus
P. pustulosus1
X. laevis2

NeuroD expression (Fig. 1: blue asterisks)




Onset of NeuroD expression in retina
TS 5
?
?
NF 23
NeuroD expression downregulated in central retina
TS 9
?
?
NF 35–36
Retinotectal differentiation (Fig. 1: blue triangles)




Optic vesicle
TS 3+
GH 18
≤GH24
NF 21–226
Tectofugal fibers
TS 5
GH 22
?
?
Optic vesicle forms cup
TS 5
GH 22
≤GH24
NF 26–276
Lens forms
TS 5
GH 22
≤GH24
NF 326
Retinofugal fibers grow out
TS 6
GH 22
GH 22
NF 29–306
First cells differentiate in retina (PCNA -)
TS 6
GH 23
≤GH24
NF 28–296,7
Retinofugal fibers in optic chiasm
TS 7
GH 23
GH 23
NF 326
Retinofugal fibers reach contralateral tectum
TS 7
GH 23
?
NF 35–376
Inner plexiform layer in retina
TS 9
GH 27
GH 27
NF 35–376
First cells differentiate in tectum (PCNA-)
TS 9
GH 27
GH 24
NF 41–459,10
Outer plexiform layer in retina
TS 11
GH 30
Go 27
NF 36–386
Tectal layers 7–9
TS 11
Go 28
Go 27
NF 4811
Tectal layer 5
TS 13
Go 28
Go 27
NF 4811
Retinal layer of outer segments of photoreceptors
TS 12
Go 28
Go 27
NF 438
First ipsilateral retinofugal fibers
TS 9
Go 30
?
NF 54–5512
Neuropils in contralateral thalamus
TS 13
Go 30
?
NF 35–3613
Tectal layers 1–43
TS 15+6
Go 42
Go 41
NF 519
Retinofugal fibers cover contralat. tectum completely3
TS 15+12
Go 45
?
NF 668
Retinal growth4 (Fig. 1: red circles)




40 %
TS 8
Go 28
Go 28–41
?
60 %
TS 9
Go 29–30
Go 28–41
?
75 %
TS 10
Go 30–31
Go 28–41
?
90 %
TS 11+
Go 37
Go 28–41
?
Tectal growth4 (Fig. 1: green circles)




40 %
TS 8
Go 29/
Go 28–41
?
60 %
TS 9
Go 29–30
Go 28–41
?
75 %
TS11
Go 30–31
Go 28–41
?
90 %
TS 13-
Go 31
Go 28–41
?

1 First stages analyzed: GH 20 (wholemounts), GH 24 (sections)

2 Except for NeuroD expression, data are taken from the literature

3 Out of range of Figure 1

4 Size of cellular layers in percent of reference size; reference size was size of cellular layers at onset of metamorphic climax (stage Go 40) in D. pictus and at hatching (stage TS 15) in E. coqui. For P. pustulosus only stages Go 28 and Go 41 were analyzed and size of cellular layers at stage Go 41 was used as reference

5 TS 15+6 and TS 15+12 refer to stages at 6 and 12 days posthatching in E. coqui

6 [62]

7 [59]

8 [58]

9 [55]

10 [68]

11 Schlosser (unpublished observation)

12 [66]

13 [94]

Schlosser Frontiers in Zoology 2008 5:9   doi:10.1186/1742-9994-5-9