Hedgehogs and retinal ganglion cells: organizers of the mammalian retina

The mature vertebrate retina develops from a population of multipotential neural progenitor cells that give rise to all of the retinal neurons and one glial cell type. Retinal histogenesis is regulated, in part, by cell extrinsic cues. A growing number of studies now implicate signaling by members of the Hedgehog (Hh) family of morphogens in vertebrate retinal development. In this review we will discuss the role of Hh signals from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the projection neurons of the retina, on proliferation, differentiation and lamination in the neural retina.