Morphological Changes of the Dopaminergic Network in the Rat Retina after Axotomy / 대한해부학회지

In the retina, dopaminergic cells express the receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is known to be retrogradely transported from higher center to the retina. This study was conducted to identify the effect of optic nerve transaction on the dopaminergic cells in the rat retina by immunocytochemistry using antityrosine hydroxylase (TH) antiserum. In the control retina, we found two types of TH-immunoreactive amacrine cells, type I and type II, in the inner nuclear layer (INL) adjacent to the inner plexiform layer (IPL). The type I amacrine cell varicosities formed ring-like structures in contact with AII amacrine cell somata in stratum 1 of the IPL. In the axotomized retinas, TH-labeled processes formed loose networks of fibers, unlike the dense networks in the control retina, and the ring-like structures were disrupted. Our data suggest that retrogradely transported neurotrophic factor affects the expression of TH immunoreactivity in the axotomized rat retina and may therefore influence the retinal dopaminergic system.

Immunohistochemical analysis of neuropeptide Y in the Bullfrog Retina / 第三军医大学学报

Objective To investigate the distribution and synaptic connectivity of neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactivity (IR) in Bullfrog retina, Rana Calesbeiana, especially in the inner plexiform layer. Methods Light microscopy immunofluorescence and post-embedding colloidal gold labeling electron microscopy techniques were employed in this study. Results NPY immunoreactivity was associated with a small population of amacrine cell bodies in the inner nuclear layer and cell processes, ramified with 3 distinct bands, in the inner plexiform layer. As for ultrastructure, quantitative analysis showed that NPY-IR amacrine cell processes were most often presynaptic to NPY negative amacrine cell processes (49.7%) and ganglion cell dendrites (49.3%). NPY-IR amacrine cells predominantly received synaptic input from bipolar cell axon terminals (86%), while a few input from other amacrine cell processes (14%). Conclusion NPY-IR in Bullfrog retina is mainly distributed in the inner part and predominately receives excitatory glutamate modulation from bipolar cells.

Immunocytochemical Localization of GABA Transporter-3 in the Guinea Pig Retina / 대한해부학회지

The cellular localization of the GABA transporter-3 (GAT-3) was examined in the guinea pig retina by immunocytochemistry, using antisera against GAT-3. GAT-3 immunoreactivity was localized to cell bodies in the inner nuclear layer, and labeled processes were densely distributed in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) close to the ganglion cell layer. All GAT-3 labeled cells exhibited GAD65 immunoreactivity. In addition, 67% of GAT-3 labeled amacrine cells showed carbohydrate epitope CD15 immunoreactivity. These results indicate that GAT-3 is involved in modulating the rod pathway in the IPL of the guinea pig retina via presumptive A17 amacrine cells.

Differentiation of Recoverin Immunoreactive Cone Bipolar Cells and Their Timing of Synaptic Formation with GABAergic Amacrine Cells in the Rat Retina / 대한해부학회지

Recoverin is a member of the large family of EF-hand calcium binding proteins (Baimbridge et al., 1992), and it is thought to be involved in the regulation of phosphodiesterase in photoreceptors and in the phosphorylation of activated rhodopsin (Polans et al., 1996). Although the functional significance of recoverin in cone bipolar cells is not fully understood, the antiserum against recoverin has been widely used to identify a certain population of cone bipolar cells (Milam et al., 1993; Sasso's Pognetto et al., 1994; Euler & W sle, 1995). GABA is well known to act as major neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system including retina. This study was conducted to identify the development process of recoverin-labeled cone bipolar cells, and the timing points of synaptic formation of the labeled bipolar cells and GABAergic amacrine cells in the rat retina. The results were as follows; In the adult rat retina, recoverin-labeled cone bipolar cells were subdivided into twotypes; type 2 cells with axon terminal stratified in sublamina a of the inner plexiform layer (IPL), and type 8 cells with axon terminals stratified in sublamina b of the IPL. Recoverin-labeled cone bipolar cells began to appear from postnatal day 5. The axon terminals of recoverin-labeled type 2 cone bipolar cells stratified at postnatal day 10, while those of type 8 cone bipolar cells stratified at postnatal day 13. The axon terminals of type 2 cone bipolar cells made ribbon synapses onto GABAergic amacrine cells in the IPL at postnatal day 10. These results demonstrate that recoverin-labeled type 2 cone bipolar cells differentiate earlier than recoverin-labeled type 8 cone bipolar cells, and suggest that GABAergic amacrine cells may play important roles in visual processing of recoverin-labeled type 2 cone bipolar cells by making synapse onto these cells at early stage. Synapses between type 2 cone bipolar cells and GABAergic amacrine cells are formed about the time of postnatal day 10 for visual processing.

The Acute Effects of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine on the Inner Plexiform Layer of Rabbits

The electrophysiological effects of N-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine(NMPTP), a chemical inducer of Parkinsonism in man and monkey, on the pigmented rabbit retina were determined under acute condition. The amplitude of the b-wave of the rabbit electroretinogram was affected, but both the implicit time and half-amplitude duration of it were not. The amplitude of the photopic b-wave was increased by 72.9 +/- 32.1% 5 hours after NMPTP administration(P[t]<0.05), Whereas the scotopic b-wave was decreased by 31.2 +/- 6.4% 4 hours after injection(P[t]<0.05). The above results suggest or support that: (1) the dopaminergic amacrine cells are related to the modulation of the b-wave of the rabbit electroretinogram. (2) during light adaptation, the dopaminergic amacrine cells uncouple the rod and cone systems in the inner plexiform layer and are involved in functions of the rod system. (3) the hypothesis that the function of tyrosine hydroxylase may be affected by NMPTP.