Ribbon Synapses Formed at the Axon of the Calbindin-Immunoreactive ON Cone Bipolar Cell in OFF Sublamina of the Inner Plexiform Layer in the Rabbit Retina / 체질인류학회지

Some retinal neurons, including intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells have their dendrites stratified in sublamina a of the inner plexiform (IPL), the OFF sublayer, but paradoxically show light-driven ON electrophysiological responses. In order to understand the mechanism on this paradoxical response, by using immunoelectron microscopy with a specific antibody against calbindin, we examined the synaptic connections of the calbindin-immunoreactive ON cone bipolar cell of the rabbit retina, which is thought to make the ribbon synapse in sublamina a of the IPL. The ribbon synapses in sublamina a by calbindin-immunoreactive ON cone bipolar cells were mainly found at the border between the inner nuclear layer and the IPL. Interestingly, the output targets at these ribbon synapses turned out as monads, and multiple synaptic ribbons were engaged in each synapse. These findings were different from those at the conventional ribbon synapse formed by calbindin-immunoreactive ON cone bipolar axon terminals. Thus, these findings may be the characteristics of the calbindin-immunoreactive ON cone bipolar ribbon synapse in sublamina a and can be used to classify the synapse in the retinal circuit research.

Morphology and Distribution of Gap Junction in Horizontal Cells of the Rabbit Retina / 대한해부학회지

Horizontal cells (HCs) of the mammalian retina are interneurons that provide negative feedback to photoreceptors in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) where the first synapse occurs and contribute to the center surround antagonism that underlies the receptive field properties of many retinal neurons. These functions of HCs are thought to be attributed to their coupled network via gap junctions. Two kinds of connexin (Cx) proteins, Cx50 and 57 are known to form gap junctions of HCs. However, little is known about precise localization of gap junctions within HCs. Thus, this study was designed to determine the localization of HC gap junctions at subcellular level. In vertical ultrathin sections of the rabbit retina, gap junctions composed of Cx50 and 57 were identified in the OPL by the electron-dense reaction products. Each Cx50 and 57 gap junction on putative HC processes showed its own distinct features. Cx50 gap junction was bigger in size and localized more proximally than Cx57. In addition, Cx57 gap junctions had distinct shape. That is, about a half of them appeared to be invaginated or endocytosed in shape. The differences in shape, size and subcellular localization between Cx50 and 57 gap junctions may provide the insights into the function of different types of horizontal cell.

Histologic Study in Transplantation of Cultured Rabbit Retinal Pigment Epithelium

The authors investigated the possibility of transplantion of cultured retinal pigment epithelial cell to normal pigmented rabbit retina. Focal retinal detachment was made in the pigment rabbit retina, and the cultured RPE cells were injected into subretinal space. The neural retina spontaneously rettached withim 6 days. At 4 weeks after tranplantation, eyes were enucleated and examined with light-microscopy and electron-microscopy. The transplanted RPE cells were proliferated with multilayer in electronmicroscopic finding, and the tight-junction was found between proliferative RPE cells. The outer segment and nucleus of photoreceptor cell were well preserved in microscopic finding. As a result, the cultured RPE cells can be sucessfully transplanted to normal pigmented rabbit retina, and photoreceptor cell was not changed after transplantation.

Histopathologic and ultrastructural findings of photocoagulation lesions produced by transpupillary diode laser in the rabbit retina

Transpupillary retinal photocoagulations were performed on ten eyes of five pigmented rabbits using a diode laser (Nidek Co., LTD, Aichi, Japan) emitting infrared radiation at 800 nm wavelength. A histological and an ultrastructural study on the treated eyes were done at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after retinal photocoagulations. The purpose of this study was to observe the sequential changes in the retina and the choroid following transpupillary diode laser retinal photocoagulations at the parameters of laser power which produced a grayish white retinal discoloration with distinct white center. It seemed that the lesion was grade 3 retinal photocoagulation by Tso et al's classification. It appeared that the parameters necessary to produce grade 3 photocoagulation lesions were 160 mW power, and 0.2 second duration at 200 microns size. In general, with an agreement to other reports, histologic study of the diode laser lesions showed that the outer retina was damaged more severely than the inner retina. However, on day 1 after laser treatment, the alterations were more profound in the inner retina than in the outer retina and an occasional swelling of the axons in the nerve fiber layer was observed on the ultrastructural study. The results observed have not been found in other previous studies and suggest that the inner retina might be injured directly by 800 nm wavelength diode laser radiations. Thus we could conclude that 800 nm wavelength diode radiation might be absorbed by melanin pigment and also by other chromophores contained in inner retinal tissues. Further studies must follow to verify the laser-tissue interactions in diode laser retinal photocoagulations.