Retina is a multilayer and highly specialized tissue important in converting light into neural signals. In humans, the critical period for the formation of complex multiplayer structure takes place during embryogenesis between 12 and 28 weeks. The morphologic changes during retinal development in humans have been studied but little is known about the molecular events essential for the formation of the retina. To gain further insights into this process, cDNA microarrays containing 16361 human gene probes were used to measure the gene expression levels in retinas. Of the 16361 genes, 68.7%, 71.4% and 69.7% showed positive hybridization with cDNAs made from 12-16 week fetal, 22-26 week fetal and adult retinas. A total of 814 genes showed a minimum of 3-fold changes between the lowest and highest expression levels among three time points and among them, 106 genes had expression levels with the hybridization intensity above 100 at one or more time points. The clustering analysis suggested that the majority of differentially expressed genes were down-regulated during the retinal development. The differentially expressed genes were further classified according to functions of known genes, and were ranked in decreasing order according to frequency: development, differentiation, signal transduction, protein synthesis and translation, metabolism, DNA binding and transcription, DNA synthesis-repair-recombination, immuno-response, ion channel- transport, cell receptor, cytoskeleton, cell cycle, pro-oncogene, stress and apoptosis related genes. Among these 106 differentially expressed genes, 60 are already present in NEI retina cDNA or EST Databank but the remaining 46 genes are absent and thus identified as "function unknown". To validate gene expression data from the microarray, real-time RT-PCR was performed for 46 "function unknown" genes and 6 known retina specific expression genes, and β-actin was used as internal control. Twenty-seven of these genes showed very similar expression profiles between the microarray and real-time RT-PCR data. In situ hybridization revealed both expression level and cellular distribution of NNAT in retina. Finally, the chromosomal locations of 106 differentially expressed genes were also searched and one of these genes is associated with autosomal dominant cone or cone-rod dystrophy. The data from present study provide insights into understanding genetic programs during human retinal development and help identify additional retinal disease genes.