• retinoblastoma cells that express amacrine/horizontal cell markers also extend processes and form synapses; some of these Golgi-Cox-labeled cells extend 1-3 long main processes with further neurite branching characteristic of horizontal or wide-field amacrine cells, while more (nearly half of ) labeled cells extend a main process with extensive neurite outgrowth characteristic of amacrine cells, and the remaining cells are less differentiated with short, unbranched neurites
• these labeled cells are mainly found near the tumor origin, while fewer are present toward the lens and anterior chamber
• tumors show appearance of unique populations of undifferentiated tumor-like cells, and extensive formation of plexiform regions
• in a large tumor that filled much of the vitreal space contained two cell types: some cells are stage I retinoblastoma cells with pale, round nuclei resembling differentiated neurons and always associated with a plexus or tightly-packed stage II retinoblastoma cells with irregular nuclei with little or no plexus associated with individual cells
• rosettes in retinoblastomas are usually composed of stage I cells with a central plexus, but are adjacent to clusters of stage II cells
• plexus regions of tumors show mitotic figures and apoptotic cells; plexus regions also contained synaptic densities and associated synaptic vesicles