a, Hyaloid vessel preparations at the indicated postnatal (P) days from pups reared under normal light conditions (LD) or under constant darkness (DD) from E16–17. Original magnification, ×50. b, As in a but a quantification of vessel number from P1 to P8. P values obtained by analysis of variance (ANOVA). c, P5 apoptotic index in hyaloid vascular cells (isolated apoptosis) or vessels undergoing a segmental pattern of apoptosis. P values obtained by Student's t-test. Sample size (n) as labelled. NS, not significant. Error bars are s.e.m.