Mapping glutamatergic drive in the vertebrate retina with a channel-permeant organic cation

Sources of Calcium at Connexin 36 Gap Junctions in the Retina

Synaptic plasticity is a fundamental feature of the CNS that controls the magnitude of signal transmission between communicating cells. Many electrical synapses exhibit substantial plasticity that modulates the degree of coupling within groups of neurons, alters the fidelity of signal transmission, or even reconfigures functional circuits. In several known examples, such plasticity depends on calcium and is associated with neuronal activity. Calcium-driven signaling is known to promote potentiation of electrical synapses in fish Mauthner cells, mammalian retinal AII amacrine cells, and inferior olive neurons, and to promote depression in thalamic reticular neurons. To measure local calcium dynamics in situ, we developed a transgenic mouse expressing a GCaMP calcium biosensor fused to Connexin 36 (Cx36) at electrical synapses. We examined the sources of calcium for activity-dependent plasticity in retina slices using confocal or Super-Resolution Radial Fluctuations imaging. More than half of Cx36-GCaMP gap junctions responded to puffs of glutamate with transient increases in fluorescence. The responses were strongly dependent on NMDA receptors, in keeping with known activity-dependent signaling in some amacrine cells. We also found that some responses depended on the activity of voltage-gated calcium channels, representing a previously unrecognized source of calcium to control retinal electrical synaptic plasticity. The high prevalence of calcium signals at electrical synapses in response to glutamate application indicates that a large fraction of electrical synapses has the potential to be regulated by neuronal activity. This provides a means to tune circuit connectivity dynamically based on local activity.

Müller Cell Metabolic Signatures: Evolutionary Conservation and Disruption in Disease

Müller cells are glia that play important regulatory roles in retinal metabolism. These roles have been evolutionarily conserved across at least 300 million years. Müller cells have a tightly locked metabolic signature in the healthy retina, which rapidly degrades in response to insult and disease. This variation in metabolic signature occurs in a chaotic fashion, involving some central metabolic pathways. The cause of this divergence of Müller cells, from a single class with a unique metabolic signature to numerous separable metabolic classes, is currently unknown and illuminates potential alternative metabolic pathways that may be revealed in disease. Understanding the impacts of this heterogeneity on degenerate retinas and the implications for the metabolic support of surrounding neurons will be critical to long-term integration of retinal therapeutics for the restoration of visual perception following photoreceptor degeneration.

Natural Polyamines and Their Biological Consequence in Mammals

The polyamines (putrescine, cadaverine, agmatine, spermidine and spermine), wide-spread in all organisms, have been shown to play a role in regulation of growth and differentiation of virtually all types of cells. Their role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes have been studied very intensively during the last two decades. Inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis have potential clinical uses as antitumor and antiparasitic agents. The brief summary with regard to their biological consequences in mammals is discussed in this paper.

Heterocellular Coupling Between Amacrine Cells and Ganglion Cells

All superclasses of retinal neurons, including bipolar cells (BCs), amacrine cells (ACs) and ganglion cells (GCs), display gap junctional coupling. However, coupling varies extensively by class. Heterocellular AC coupling is common in many mammalian GC classes. Yet, the topology and functions of coupling networks remains largely undefined. GCs are the least frequent superclass in the inner plexiform layer and the gap junctions mediating GC-to-AC coupling (GC::AC) are sparsely arrayed amidst large cohorts of homocellular AC::AC, BC::BC, GC::GC and heterocellular AC::BC gap junctions. Here, we report quantitative coupling for identified GCs in retinal connectome 1 (RC1), a high resolution (2 nm) transmission electron microscopy-based volume of rabbit retina. These reveal that most GC gap junctions in RC1 are suboptical. GC classes lack direct cross-class homocellular coupling with other GCs, despite opportunities via direct membrane contact, while OFF alpha GCs and transient ON directionally selective (DS) GCs are strongly coupled to distinct AC cohorts. Integrated small molecule immunocytochemistry identifies these as GABAergic ACs (γ+ ACs). Multi-hop synaptic queries of RC1 connectome further profile these coupled γ+ ACs. Notably, OFF alpha GCs couple to OFF γ+ ACs and transient ON DS GCs couple to ON γ+ ACs, including a large interstitial amacrine cell, revealing matched ON/OFF photic drive polarities within coupled networks. Furthermore, BC input to these γ+ ACs is tightly matched to the GCs with which they couple. Evaluation of the coupled versus inhibitory targets of the γ+ ACs reveals that in both ON and OFF coupled GC networks these ACs are presynaptic to GC classes that are different than the classes with which they couple. These heterocellular coupling patterns provide a potential mechanism for an excited GC to indirectly inhibit nearby GCs of different classes. Similarly, coupled γ+ ACs engaged in feedback networks can leverage the additional gain of BC synapses in shaping the signaling of downstream targets based on their own selective coupling with GCs. A consequence of coupling is intercellular fluxes of small molecules. GC::AC coupling involves primarily γ+ cells, likely resulting in GABA diffusion into GCs. Surveying GABA signatures in the GC layer across diverse species suggests the majority of vertebrate retinas engage in GC::γ+ AC coupling.

Olfactory effects of a hypervariable multicomponent pheromone in the red-legged salamander, Plethodon shermani

Chemical communication via chemosensory signaling is an essential process for promoting and modifying reproductive behavior in many species. During courtship in plethodontid salamanders, males deliver a mixture of non-volatile proteinaceous pheromones that activate chemosensory neurons in the vomeronasal epithelium (VNE) and increase female receptivity. One component of this mixture, Plethodontid Modulating Factor (PMF), is a hypervariable pheromone expressed as more than 30 unique isoforms that differ between individual males-likely driven by co-evolution with female receptors to promote gene duplication and positive selection of the PMF gene complex. Courtship trials with females receiving different PMF isoform mixtures had variable effects on female mating receptivity, with only the most complex mixtures increasing receptivity, such that we believe that sufficient isoform diversity allows males to improve their reproductive success with any female in the mating population. The aim of this study was to test the effects of isoform variability on VNE neuron activation using the agmatine uptake assay. All isoform mixtures activated a similar number of neurons (>200% over background) except for a single purified PMF isoform (+17%). These data further support the hypothesis that PMF isoforms act synergistically in order to regulate female receptivity, and different putative mechanisms are discussed.

Müller cell metabolic chaos during retinal degeneration

Müller cells play a critical role in retinal metabolism and are among the first cells to demonstrate metabolic changes in retinal stress or disease. The timing, extent, regulation, and impacts of these changes are not yet known. We evaluated metabolic phenotypes of Müller cells in the degenerating retina. Retinas harvested from wild-type (WT) and rhodopsin Tg P347L rabbits were fixed in mixed aldehydes and resin embedded for computational molecular phenotyping (CMP). CMP facilitates small molecule fingerprinting of every cell in the retina, allowing evaluation of metabolite levels in single cells. CMP revealed signature variations in metabolite levels across Müller cells from TgP347L retina. In brief, neighboring Müller cells demonstrated variability in taurine, glutamate, glutamine, glutathione, glutamine synthetase (GS), and CRALBP. This variability showed no correlation across metabolites, implying the changes are functionally chaotic rather than simply heterogeneous. The inability of any clustering algorithm to classify Müller cell as a single class in the TgP347L retina is a formal proof of metabolic variability in the present in degenerating retina. Although retinal degeneration is certainly the trigger, Müller cell metabolic alterations are not a coherent response to the microenvironment. And while GS is believed to be the primary enzyme responsible for the conversion of glutamate to glutamine in the retina, alternative pathways appear to be unmasked in degenerating retina. Somehow, long term remodeling involves loss of Müller cell coordination and identity, which has negative implications for therapeutic interventions that target neurons alone.

Rod-cone crossover connectome of mammalian bipolar cells

The basis of cross-suppression between rod and cone channels has long been an enigma. Using rabbit retinal connectome RC1, we show that all cone bipolar cell (BC) classes inhibit rod BCs via amacrine cell (AC) motifs (C1-6); that all cone BC classes are themselves inhibited by AC motifs (R1-5, R25) driven by rod BCs. A sparse symmetric AC motif (CR) is presynaptic and postsynaptic to both rod and cone BCs. ON cone BCs of all classes drive inhibition of rod BCs via motif C1 wide-field GABAergic ACs (γACs) and motif C2 narrow field glycinergic ON ACs (GACs). Each rod BC receives ≈10 crossover AC synapses and each ON cone BC can target ≈10 or more rod BCs via separate AC processes. OFF cone BCs mediate monosynaptic inhibition of rod BCs via motif C3 driven by OFF γACs and GACs and disynaptic inhibition via motifs C4 and C5 driven by OFF wide-field γACs and narrow-field GACs, respectively. Motifs C4 and C5 form halos of 60-100 inhibitory synapses on proximal dendrites of AI γACs. Rod BCs inhibit surrounding arrays of cone BCs through AII GAC networks that access ON and OFF cone BC patches via motifs R1, R2, R4, R5 and a unique ON AC motif R3 that collects rod BC inputs and targets ON cone BCs. Crossover synapses for motifs C1, C4, C5, and R3 are 3-4× larger than typical feedback synapses, which may be a signature for synaptic winner-take-all switches. J. Comp. Neurol. 527:87-116, 2019. © 2016 The Authors The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Retinal Remodeling and Metabolic Alterations in Human AMD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive retinal degeneration resulting in central visual field loss, ultimately causing debilitating blindness. AMD affects 18% of Americans from 65 to 74, 30% older than 74 years of age and is the leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness in Western populations. While many genetic and environmental risk factors are known for AMD, we currently know less about the mechanisms mediating disease progression. The pathways and mechanisms through which genetic and non-genetic risk factors modulate development of AMD pathogenesis remain largely unexplored. Moreover, current treatment for AMD is palliative and limited to wet/exudative forms. Retina is a complex, heterocellular tissue and most retinal cell classes are impacted or altered in AMD. Defining disease and stage-specific cytoarchitectural and metabolic responses in AMD is critical for highlighting targets for intervention. The goal of this article is to illustrate cell types impacted in AMD and demonstrate the implications of those changes, likely beginning in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), for remodeling of the the neural retina. Tracking heterocellular responses in disease progression is best achieved with computational molecular phenotyping (CMP), a tool that enables acquisition of a small molecule fingerprint for every cell in the retina. CMP uncovered critical cellular and molecular pathologies (remodeling and reprogramming) in progressive retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We now applied these approaches to normal human and AMD tissues mapping progression of cellular and molecular changes in AMD retinas, including late-stage forms of the disease.

Retinal remodeling in human retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) in the human is a progressive, currently irreversible neural degenerative disease usually caused by gene defects that disrupt the function or architecture of the photoreceptors. While RP can initially be a disease of photoreceptors, there is increasing evidence that the inner retina becomes progressively disorganized as the outer retina degenerates. These alterations have been extensively described in animal models, but remodeling in humans has not been as well characterized. This study, using computational molecular phenotyping (CMP) seeks to advance our understanding of the retinal remodeling process in humans. We describe cone mediated preservation of overall topology, retinal reprogramming in the earliest stages of the disease in retinal bipolar cells, and alterations in both small molecule and protein signatures of neurons and glia. Furthermore, while Müller glia appear to be some of the last cells left in the degenerate retina, they are also one of the first cell classes in the neural retina to respond to stress which may reveal mechanisms related to remodeling and cell death in other retinal cell classes. Also fundamentally important is the finding that retinal network topologies are altered. Our results suggest interventions that presume substantial preservation of the neural retina will likely fail in late stages of the disease. Even early intervention offers no guarantee that the interventions will be immune to progressive remodeling. Fundamental work in the biology and mechanisms of disease progression are needed to support vision rescue strategies.

Differential volume regulation and calcium signaling in two ciliary body cell types is subserved by TRPV4 channels

Fluid secretion by the ciliary body plays a critical and irreplaceable function in vertebrate vision by providing nutritive support to the cornea and lens, and by maintaining intraocular pressure. Here, we identify TRPV4 (transient receptor potential vanilloid isoform 4) channels as key osmosensors in nonpigmented epithelial (NPE) cells of the mouse ciliary body. Hypotonic swelling and the selective agonist GSK1016790A (EC50 ∼33 nM) induced sustained transmembrane cation currents and cytosolic [Formula: see text] elevations in dissociated and intact NPE cells. Swelling had no effect on [Formula: see text] levels in pigment epithelial (PE) cells, whereas depolarization evoked [Formula: see text] elevations in both NPE and PE cells. Swelling-evoked [Formula: see text] signals were inhibited by the TRPV4 antagonist HC067047 (IC50 ∼0.9 μM) and were absent in Trpv4(-/-) NPE. In NPE, but not PE, swelling-induced [Formula: see text] signals required phospholipase A2 activation. TRPV4 localization to NPE was confirmed with immunolocalization and excitation mapping approaches, whereas in vivo MRI analysis confirmed TRPV4-mediated signals in the intact mouse ciliary body. Trpv2 and Trpv4 were the most abundant vanilloid transcripts in CB. Overall, our results support a model whereby TRPV4 differentially regulates cell volume, lipid, and calcium signals in NPE and PE cell types and therefore represents a potential target for antiglaucoma medications.

Using the rd1 mouse to understand functional and anatomical retinal remodelling and treatment implications in retinitis pigmentosa: A review

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) reflects a range of inherited retinal disorders which involve photoreceptor degeneration and retinal pigmented epithelium dysfunction. Despite the multitude of genetic mutations being associated with the RP phenotype, the clinical and functional manifestations of the disease remain the same: nyctalopia, visual field constriction (tunnel vision), photopsias and pigment proliferation. In this review, we describe the typical clinical phenotype of human RP and review the anatomical and functional remodelling which occurs in RP determined from studies in the rd/rd (rd1) mouse. We also review studies that report a slowing down or show an acceleration of retinal degeneration and finally we provide insights on the impact retinal remodelling may have in vision restoration strategies.

Fixation strategies for retinal immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemical and ex vivo anatomical studies have provided many glimpses of the variety, distribution, and signaling components of vertebrate retinal neurons. The beauty of numerous images published to date, and the qualitative and quantitative information they provide, indicate that these approaches are fundamentally useful. However, obtaining these images entailed tissue handling and exposure to chemical solutions that differ from normal extracellular fluid in composition, temperature, and osmolarity. Because the differences are large enough to alter intercellular and intracellular signaling in neurons, and because retinae are susceptible to crush, shear, and fray, it is natural to wonder if immunohistochemical and anatomical methods disturb or damage the cells they are designed to examine. Tissue fixation is typically incorporated to guard against this damage and is therefore critically important to the quality and significance of the harvested data. Here, we describe mechanisms of fixation; advantages and disadvantages of using formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde as fixatives during immunohistochemistry; and modifications of widely used protocols that have recently been found to improve cell shape preservation and immunostaining patterns, especially in proximal retinal neurons.

Swelling and eicosanoid metabolites differentially gate TRPV4 channels in retinal neurons and glia

Activity-dependent shifts in ionic concentrations and water that accompany neuronal and glial activity can generate osmotic forces with biological consequences for brain physiology. Active regulation of osmotic gradients and cellular volume requires volume-sensitive ion channels. In the vertebrate retina, critical support to volume regulation is provided by Müller astroglia, but the identity of their osmosensor is unknown. Here, we identify TRPV4 channels as transducers of mouse Müller cell volume increases into physiological responses. Hypotonic stimuli induced sustained [Ca(2+)]i elevations that were inhibited by TRPV4 antagonists and absent in TRPV4(-/-) Müller cells. Glial TRPV4 signals were phospholipase A2- and cytochrome P450-dependent, characterized by slow-onset and Ca(2+) waves, and, in excess, were sufficient to induce reactive gliosis. In contrast, neurons responded to TRPV4 agonists and swelling with fast, inactivating Ca(2+) signals that were independent of phospholipase A2. Our results support a model whereby swelling and proinflammatory signals associated with arachidonic acid metabolites differentially gate TRPV4 in retinal neurons and glia, with potentially significant consequences for normal and pathological retinal function.

Moniliform deformation of retinal ganglion cells by formaldehyde-based fixatives

Protocols for characterizing cellular phenotypes commonly use chemical fixatives to preserve anatomical features, mechanically stabilize tissue, and stop physiological responses. Formaldehyde, diluted in either phosphate-buffered saline or phosphate buffer, has been widely used in studies of neurons, especially in conjunction with dyes and antibodies. However, previous studies have found that these fixatives induce the formation of bead-like varicosities in the dendrites and axons of brain and spinal cord neurons. We report here that these formaldehyde formulations can induce bead formation in the dendrites and axons of adult rat and rabbit retinal ganglion cells, and that retinal ganglion cells differ from hippocampal, cortical, cerebellar, and spinal cord neurons in that bead formation is not blocked by glutamate receptor antagonists, a voltage-gated Na(+) channel toxin, extracellular Ca(2+) ion exclusion, or temperature shifts. Moreover, we describe a modification of formaldehyde-based fixatives that prevents bead formation in retinal ganglion cells visualized by green fluorescent protein expression and by immunohistochemistry.

Mapping kainate activation of inner neurons in the rat retina

Kainate receptors mediate fast, excitatory synaptic transmission for a range of inner neurons in the mammalian retina. However, allocation of functional kainate receptors to known cell types and their sensitivity remains unresolved. Using the cation channel probe 1-amino-4-guanidobutane agmatine (AGB), we investigated kainate sensitivity of neurochemically identified cell populations within the structurally intact rat retina. Most inner retinal neuron populations responded to kainate in a concentration-dependent manner. OFF cone bipolar cells demonstrated the highest sensitivity of all inner neurons to kainate. Immunocytochemical localization of AGB and macromolecular markers confirmed that type 2 bipolar cells were part of this kainate-sensitive population. The majority of amacrine (ACs) and ganglion cells (GCs) showed kainate responses with different sensitivities between major neurochemical classes (γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA]/glycine ACs > glycine ACs > GABA ACs; glutamate [Glu]/weakly GABA GCs > Glu GCs). Conventional and displaced cholinergic ACs were highly responsive to kainate, whereas dopaminergic ACs do not appear to express functional kainate receptors. These findings further contribute to our understanding of neuronal networks in complex multicellular tissues.

Amino acid signatures in the developing mouse retina

This study characterizes the developmental patterns of seven key amino acids: glutamate, γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA), glycine, glutamine, aspartate, alanine and taurine in the mouse retina. We analyze amino acids in specific bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cell sub-populations (i.e. GABAergic vs. glycinergic amacrine cells) and anatomically distinct regions of photoreceptors and Müller cells (i.e. cell bodies vs. endfeet) by extracting data from previously described pattern recognition analysis. Pattern recognition statistically classifies all cells in the retina based on their neurochemical profile and surpasses the previous limitations of anatomical and morphological identification of cells in the immature retina. We found that the GABA and glycine cellular content reached adult-like levels in most neurons before glutamate. The metabolic amino acids glutamine, aspartate and alanine also reached maturity in most retinal cells before eye opening. When the overall amino acid profiles were considered for each cell group, ganglion cells and GABAergic amacrine cells matured first, followed by glycinergic amacrine cells and finally bipolar cells. Photoreceptor cell bodies reached adult-like amino acid profiles at P7 whilst Müller cells acquired typical amino acid profiles in their cell bodies at P7 and in their endfeet by P14. We further compared the amino acid profiles of the C57Bl/6J mouse with the transgenic X-inactivation mouse carrying the lacZ gene on the X chromosome and validated this animal model for the study of normal retinal development. This study provides valuable insight into normal retinal neurochemical maturation and metabolism and benchmark amino acid values for comparison with retinal disease, particularly those which occur during development.

Functional and neurochemical development in the normal and degenerating mouse retina

The rd1 mouse is a well-established animal model for human retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We used electroretinography (ERG) to evaluate retinal function and postembedding immunocytochemistry to determine the changes in cellular amino acid expression in the normal (C57Bl6) and degenerating mouse retina (rd1), as a function of age during development and the onset of degeneration. In the normal mouse retina, photoreceptoral and post-photoreceptoral ERG responses improved simultaneously from eye-opening until adult levels were achieved at approximately postnatal day (P) 30. Maturation of amino acid neurochemistry preceded the development of retinal function in the normal retina. Amino acid levels increased immediately from birth and reached stable levels by eye-opening. In contrast, in the rd1 mouse, both rod and cone pathway function rapidly reduced from eye-opening and by P21 became undetectable. Interestingly, at P18 cone responses were still comparable between the normal and degenerating retina. Before eye opening, the pattern of amino acid immunoreactivity in the rd1 retina was similar to the normal retina. Alterations in neurochemistry were observed after the onset of rod photoreceptor cell death. The most obvious change was the reduction in neurotransmitter immunoreactivity within the synaptic layers and some cell classes of the rd1 retina. Reduction of glutamine and glutamate was observed in Müller cells before established gliosis markers. Overall, these results suggest the rapid maturation of neurochemistry by eye opening followed by functional maturation by P30 in the normal retina. The dystrophic retina displays similar neurochemistry to control retina before eye opening but a subsequent decline.

ON cone bipolar cell axonal synapses in the OFF inner plexiform layer of the rabbit retina

Analysis of the rabbit retinal connectome RC1 reveals that the division between the ON and the OFF inner plexiform layer (IPL) is not structurally absolute. ON cone bipolar cells make noncanonical axonal synapses onto specific targets and receive amacrine cell synapses in the nominal OFF layer, creating novel motifs, including inhibitory crossover networks. Automated transmission electron microscopic imaging, molecular tagging, tracing, and rendering of ~400 bipolar cells reveals axonal ribbons in 36% of ON cone bipolar cells, throughout the OFF IPL. The targets include γ-aminobutyrate (GABA)-positive amacrine cells (γACs), glycine-positive amacrine cells (GACs), and ganglion cells. Most ON cone bipolar cell axonal contacts target GACs driven by OFF cone bipolar cells, forming new architectures for generating ON-OFF amacrine cells. Many of these ON-OFF GACs target ON cone bipolar cell axons, ON γACs, and/or ON-OFF ganglion cells, representing widespread mechanisms for OFF to ON crossover inhibition. Other targets include OFF γACs presynaptic to OFF bipolar cells, forming γAC-mediated crossover motifs. ON cone bipolar cell axonal ribbons drive bistratified ON-OFF ganglion cells in the OFF layer and provide ON drive to polarity-appropriate targets such as bistratified diving ganglion cells (bsdGCs). The targeting precision of ON cone bipolar cell axonal synapses shows that this drive incidence is necessarily a joint distribution of cone bipolar cell axonal frequency and target cell trajectories through a given volume of the OFF layer. Such joint distribution sampling is likely common when targets are sparser than sources and when sources are coupled, as are ON cone bipolar cells.

Restoration of retinal structure and function after selective photocoagulation

CNS neurons change their connectivity to accommodate a changing environment, form memories, or respond to injury. Plasticity in the adult mammalian retina after injury or disease was thought to be limited to restructuring resulting in abnormal retinal anatomy and function. Here we report that neurons in the mammalian retina change their connectivity and restore normal retinal anatomy and function after injury. Patches of photoreceptors in the rabbit retina were destroyed by selective laser photocoagulation, leaving retinal inner neurons (bipolar, amacrine, horizontal, ganglion cells) intact. Photoreceptors located outside of the damaged zone migrated to make new functional connections with deafferented bipolar cells located inside the lesion. The new connections restored ON and OFF responses in deafferented ganglion cells. This finding extends the previously perceived limits of restorative plasticity in the adult retina and allows for new approaches to retinal laser therapy free of current detrimental side effects such as scotomata and scarring.

Mapping cation entry in photoreceptors and inner retinal neurons during early degeneration in the P23H-3 rat retina

The proline-23-histidine line 3 (P23H-3) transgenic rat carries a human opsin gene mutation leading to progressive photoreceptor loss characteristic of human autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. The aim of the present study was to evaluate neurochemical modifications in the P23H-3 retina as a function of development and degeneration. Specifically, we investigated the ion channel permeability of photoreceptors by tracking an organic cation, agmatine (1-amino-4-guanidobutane, AGB), which permeates through nonspecific cation channels. We also investigated the activity of ionotropic glutamate receptors in distinct populations of bipolar, amacrine, and ganglion cells using AGB tracking in combination with macromolecular markers. We found elevated cation channel permeation in photoreceptors as early as postnatal day 12 (P12) suggesting that AGB labeling is an early indicator of impending photoreceptor degeneration. However, bipolar, amacrine, or ganglion cells displayed normal responses secondary to ionotropic glutamate receptor activation even at P138 when about one half of the photoreceptor layer was lost and apoptosis and gliosis were observed. These results suggest that possible therapeutic windows as downstream neurons in inner retina appear to retain normal function with regard to AGB permeation when photoreceptors are significantly reduced but not lost.

Retinal amino acid neurochemistry of the southern hemisphere lamprey, Geotria australis

Lampreys are one of the two surviving groups of the agnathan (jawless) stages in vertebrate evolution and are thus ideal candidates for elucidating the evolution of visual systems. This study investigated the retinal amino acid neurochemistry of the southern hemisphere lamprey Geotria australis during the downstream migration of the young, recently-metamorphosed juveniles to the sea and during the upstream migration of the fully-grown and sexually-maturing adults to their spawning areas. Glutamate and taurine were distributed throughout the retina, whilst GABA and glycine were confined to neurons of the inner retina matching patterns seen in most other vertebrates. Glutamine and aspartate immunoreactivity was closely matched to Müller cell morphology. Between the migratory phases, few differences were observed in the distribution of major neurotransmitters i.e. glutamate, GABA and glycine, but changes in amino acids associated with retinal metabolism i.e. glutamine and aspartate, were evident. Taurine immunoreactivity was mostly conserved between migrant stages, consistent with its role in primary cell functions such as osmoregulation. Further investigation of glutamate signalling using the probe agmatine (AGB) to map cation channel permeability revealed entry of AGB into photoreceptors and horizontal cells followed by accumulation in inner retinal neurons. Similarities in AGB profiles between upstream and downstream migrant of G. australis confirmed the conservation of glutamate neurotransmission. Finally, calcium binding proteins, calbindin and calretinin were localized to the inner retina whilst recoverin was localized to photoreceptors. Overall, conservation of major amino acid neurotransmitters and calcium-associated proteins in the lamprey retina confirms these elements as essential features of the vertebrate visual system. On the other hand, metabolic elements of the retina such as neurotransmitter precursor amino acids and Müller cells are more sensitive to environmental changes associated with migration.

Ectopic vesicular glutamate release at the optic nerve head and axon loss in mouse experimental glaucoma

Although clinical and experimental observations indicate that the optic nerve head (ONH) is a major site of axon degeneration in glaucoma, the mechanisms by which local retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons are injured and damage spreads among axons remain poorly defined. Using a laser-induced ocular hypertension (LIOH) mouse model of glaucoma, we found that within 48 h of intraocular pressure elevation, RGC axon segments within the ONH exhibited ectopic accumulation and colocalization of multiple components of the glutamatergic presynaptic machinery including the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2, several synaptic vesicle marker proteins, glutamate, the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor complex and active zone cytomatrix components, as well as ultrastructurally identified, synaptophysin-containing vesicles. Ectopic vesicle exocytosis and glutamate release were detected in acute preparations of the LIOH ONH. Immunolocalization and analysis using the ionotropic receptor channel-permeant cation agmatine indicated that ONH axon segments and glia expressed glutamate receptors, and these receptors were more active after LIOH compared with controls. Pharmacological antagonism of glutamate receptors and neuronal activity resulted in increased RGC axon sparing in vivo. Furthermore, in vivo RGC-specific genetic disruption of the vesicular glutamate transporter VGLUT2 or the obligatory NMDA receptor subunit NR1 promoted axon survival in experimental glaucoma. As the inhibition of ectopic glutamate vesicular release or glutamate receptivity can independently modify the severity of RGC axon loss, synaptic release mechanisms may provide useful therapeutic entry points into glaucomatous axon degeneration.

Glycine transport inhibitors in the treatment of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder without adequate current treatment. Recent theories of schizophrenia focus on disturbances of glutamatergic neurotransmission particularly at N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors. NMDA receptors are regulated in vivo by the amino acids glycine and D-serine. Glycine levels, in turn, are regulated by glycine type I (GlyT1) transporters, which serve to maintain low subsaturating glycine levels in the vicinity of the NMDA receptor. A proposed approach to treatment of schizophrenia, therefore, is inhibition of GlyT1-mediated transport. Over the past decade, several well tolerated, high affinity GlyT1 inhibitors have been developed and shown to potentiate NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission in animal models relevant to schizophrenia. In addition, clinical trials have been conducted with sarcosine (N-methylglycine), a naturally occurring GlyT1 inhibitor, and with the high affinity compound RG1678. Although definitive trials remain ongoing, encouraging results to date have been reported.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Modulates Vomeronasal Neuron Response to Male Salamander Pheromone

Electrophysiological studies have shown that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) modifies chemosensory neurons responses to odors. We have previously demonstrated that male Plethodon shermani pheromone stimulates vomeronasal neurons in the female conspecific. In the present study we used agmatine uptake as a relative measure of the effects of GnRH on this pheromone-induced neural activation of vomeronasal neurons. Whole male pheromone extract containing 3 millimolar agmatine with or without 10 micromolar GnRH was applied to the nasolabial groove of female salamanders for 45 minutes. Immunocytochemical procedures were conducted to visualize and quantify relative agmatine uptake as measured by labeling density of activated vomeronasal neurons. The relative number of labeled neurons did not differ between the two groups: pheromone alone or pheromone-GnRH. However, vomeronasal neurons exposed to pheromone-GnRH collectively demonstrated higher labeling intensity, as a percentage above background (75%) as compared with neurons exposed to pheromone alone (63%, P < 0.018). Since the labeling intensity of agmatine within neurons signifies the relative activity levels of the neurons, these results suggest that GnRH increases the response of female vomeronasal neurons to male pheromone.

Retinal remodeling in the Tg P347L rabbit, a large-eye model of retinal degeneration

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited blinding disease characterized by progressive loss of retinal photoreceptors. There are numerous rodent models of retinal degeneration, but most are poor platforms for interventions that will translate into clinical practice. The rabbit possesses a number of desirable qualities for a model of retinal disease including a large eye and an existing and substantial knowledge base in retinal circuitry, anatomy, and ophthalmology. We have analyzed degeneration, remodeling, and reprogramming in a rabbit model of retinal degeneration, expressing a rhodopsin proline 347 to leucine transgene in a TgP347L rabbit as a powerful model to study the pathophysiology and treatment of retinal degeneration. We show that disease progression in the TgP347L rabbit closely tracks human cone-sparing RP, including the cone-associated preservation of bipolar cell signaling and triggering of reprogramming. The relatively fast disease progression makes the TgP347L rabbit an excellent model for gene therapy, cell biological intervention, progenitor cell transplantation, surgical interventions, and bionic prosthetic studies.

Functional expression of ionotropic glutamate receptors in the rabbit retinal ganglion cells

It has been known that retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with distinct morphologies have different physiological properties. It was hypothesized that different functions of RGCs may in part result from various expressions of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propinoic acid (AMPA), and kainic acid (KA) receptors on their dendrites. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the functional expression of AMPA and NMDA receptors of morphologically identified RGCs in the wholemount rabbit retina. The agmatine (AGB) activation assay was used to reveal functional expression of ionotropic glutamate receptors after the RGCs were targeted by injecting Neurobiotin. To examine the excitability of these glutamate receptors in an agonist specific manner, the lower concentrations of AMPA (2 μM) and NMDA (100 μM) were chosen to examine G7 (ON-OFF direction selective ganglion cells) and G11 (alpha ganglion cells) types of RGCs. We found that less than 40% of G7 type RGCs had salient AGB activation when incubated with 2 μM AMPA or 100 μM NMDA. The G11 type RGCs also showed similar activation frequencies, except that all of the OFF subtype examined had no AGB permeation under the same AMPA concentration. These results suggest that RGCs with large somata (G7 and G11 types) may express various heterogeneous functional ionotropic glutamate receptors, thus in part rendering their functional diversity.

Glutamate stimulation of retinal ganglion cells in normal and s334ter-4 rat retinas: a candidate for a neurotransmitter-based retinal prosthesis

PURPOSE. To investigate the suitability of glutamate as a potential agent for a neurotransmitter-based retinal prosthesis. METHODS. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from P35-70 albino Sprague-Dawley (normal) and P60-254 S334ter-4 (photoreceptor degeneration) rats were recorded extracellularly in flattened eye cup preparations, to assess their responses to glutamate, applied locally via micropipettes. RESULTS. Brief local application of glutamate effectively excited RGCs in both normal and degenerated retinas. Epiretinal surface application of glutamate was less likely to excite RGCs than was subsurface application (20 microm below the epiretinal surface). Glutamate evoked RGC firing rates, and the response patterns were similar for epiretinal surface and subsurface applications. Subsurface application of 2 mM glutamate effectively excited cells within 130 microm of the ejection sites. Response latencies averaged 281 ms and were significantly longer for OFF RGCs than for ON RGCs in normal retinas (P = 0.025). Suppression of activity was observed at shorter latencies ( approximately 100 ms) after glutamate application in most of the spontaneously active RGCs. Responses to each glutamate application were similar, and the duration of activity was directly dependent on the duration of application. RGC responses varied from recurrent high-frequency bursts to sustained firing at rates above 40 spikes/s, in normal and degenerated retinas. Paired, sequential applications of glutamate evoked two distinguishable responses, with interstimulus intervals as low as 200 ms. Overall, RGC response sensitivity to glutamate was similar in normal and degenerated retinas. CONCLUSIONS. Glutamate is an excellent candidate for a neurotransmitter-based retinal prosthesis, as its local application effectively stimulates RGCs with high spatial and temporal resolution.

Role of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway in retinal excitotoxicity, and neuroprotection by its inhibition

Retinal excitotoxicity is associated with retinal ischemia, and with glaucomatous and traumatic optic neuropathy. The present study investigates the role of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation in NMDA-mediated retinal excitotoxicity and determines whether neuroprotection can be obtained with the JNK pathway inhibitor, D-form of JNK-inhibitor 1 (D-JNKI-1). Young adult rats received intravitreal injections of 20 nmol NMDA, which caused extensive neuronal death in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers. This excitotoxicity was associated with strong activation of calpain, as revealed by fodrin cleavage, and of JNK. The cell-permeable peptide D-JNKI-1 was used to inhibit JNK. Within 40 min of its intravitreal injection, FITC-labeled D-JNKI-1 spread through the retinal ganglion cell layer into the inner nuclear layer and interfered with the NMDA-induced phosphorylation of JNK. Injections of unlabeled D-JNKI-1 gave unprecedentedly strong neuroprotection against cell death in both layers, lasting for at least 10 days. The NMDA-induced calpain-specific fodrin cleavage was likewise strongly inhibited by D-JNKI-1. Moreover the electroretinogram was partially preserved by D-JNKI-1. Thus, the JNK pathway is involved in NMDA-mediated retinal excitotoxicity and JNK inhibition by D-JNKI-1 provides strong neuroprotection as shown morphologically, biochemically and physiologically.

Retinal metabolic state of the proline-23-histidine rat model of retinitis pigmentosa

We determined the metabolic changes that precede cell death in the dystrophic proline-23-histidine (P23H) line 3 (P23H-3) rat retina compared with the normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat retina. Metabolite levels and metabolic enzymes were analyzed early in development and during the early stages of degeneration in the P23H-3 retina. Control and degenerating retinas showed an age-dependent change in metabolite levels and enzymatic activity, particularly around the time when phototransduction was activated. However, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was significantly higher in P23H-3 than SD retina before the onset of photoreceptor death. The creatine/phosphocreatine system did not contribute to the increase in ATP, because phosphocreatine levels, creatine kinase, and expression of the creatine transporter remained constant. However, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and Mg(2+)-Ca(2+)-ATPase activities were increased in the developing P23H-3 retina. Therefore, photoreceptor apoptosis in the P23H-3 retina occurs in an environment of increased LDH, ATPase activity, and higher-than-normal ATP levels. We tested the effect of metabolic challenge to the retina by inhibiting monocarboxylate transport with alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid or systemically administering the phosphodiesterase inhibitor sildenafil. Secondary to monocarboxylate transport inhibition, the P23H-3 retina did not demonstrate alterations in metabolic activity. However, administration of sildenafil significantly reduced LDH activity in the P23H-3 retina and increased the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUPT nick end-labeled photoreceptor cells. Photoreceptor cells with a rhodopsin mutation display an increase in apoptotic markers secondary to inhibition of a phototransduction enzyme (phosphodiesterase), suggesting increased susceptibility to altered cation entry.

Functional remodeling of glutamate receptors by inner retinal neurons occurs from an early stage of retinal degeneration

Retinitis pigmentosa reflects a family of diseases that result in retinal photoreceptor death and functional blindness. The natural course of retinal changes secondary to photoreceptor degeneration involves anatomical remodeling (cell process alterations and soma displacement) and neurochemical remodeling. Anatomical remodeling predominantly occurs late in the disease process and cannot explain the significant visual deficits that occur very early in the disease process. Neurochemical remodeling includes modified glutamate receptor disposition and altered responses secondary to functional activation of glutamate receptors. We investigated the neurochemical remodeling of retinal neurons in the rd/rd (rd1) mouse retina by tracking the functional activation of glutamate receptors with a cation probe, agmatine. We provide evidence that bipolar cells and amacrine cells undergo selective remodeling of glutamate receptors during the early phases of retinal degeneration. These early neurochemical changes in the rd/rd mouse retina include the expression of aberrant functional ionotropic glutamate receptors on the cone ON bipolar cells from postnatal day 15 (P15), poor functional activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors on both rod and cone ON bipolar cells throughout development/degeneration, and poor functional activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on amacrine cells from P15. Our results suggest that major neurochemical remodeling occurs prior to anatomical remodeling, and likely accounts for the early visual deficits in the rd/rd mouse retina.

A computational framework for ultrastructural mapping of neural circuitry

Circuitry mapping of metazoan neural systems is difficult because canonical neural regions (regions containing one or more copies of all components) are large, regional borders are uncertain, neuronal diversity is high, and potential network topologies so numerous that only anatomical ground truth can resolve them. Complete mapping of a specific network requires synaptic resolution, canonical region coverage, and robust neuronal classification. Though transmission electron microscopy (TEM) remains the optimal tool for network mapping, the process of building large serial section TEM (ssTEM) image volumes is rendered difficult by the need to precisely mosaic distorted image tiles and register distorted mosaics. Moreover, most molecular neuronal class markers are poorly compatible with optimal TEM imaging. Our objective was to build a complete framework for ultrastructural circuitry mapping. This framework combines strong TEM-compliant small molecule profiling with automated image tile mosaicking, automated slice-to-slice image registration, and gigabyte-scale image browsing for volume annotation. Specifically we show how ultrathin molecular profiling datasets and their resultant classification maps can be embedded into ssTEM datasets and how scripted acquisition tools (SerialEM), mosaicking and registration (ir-tools), and large slice viewers (MosaicBuilder, Viking) can be used to manage terabyte-scale volumes. These methods enable large-scale connectivity analyses of new and legacy data. In well-posed tasks (e.g., complete network mapping in retina), terabyte-scale image volumes that previously would require decades of assembly can now be completed in months. Perhaps more importantly, the fusion of molecular profiling, image acquisition by SerialEM, ir-tools volume assembly, and data viewers/annotators also allow ssTEM to be used as a prospective tool for discovery in nonneural systems and a practical screening methodology for neurogenetics. Finally, this framework provides a mechanism for parallelization of ssTEM imaging, volume assembly, and data analysis across an international user base, enhancing the productivity of a large cohort of electron microscopists.

Building an accurate neural network diagram of the vertebrate nervous system is a major challenge in neuroscience. Diverse groups of neurons that function together form complex patterns of connections often spanning large regions of brain tissue, with uncertain borders. Although serial-section transmission electron microscopy remains the optimal tool for fine anatomical analyses, the time and cost of the undertaking has been prohibitive. We have assembled a complete framework for ultrastructural mapping using conventional transmission electron microscopy that tremendously accelerates image analysis. This framework combines small-molecule profiling to classify cells, automated image acquisition, automated mosaic formation, automated slice-to-slice image registration, and large-scale image browsing for volume annotation. Terabyte-scale image volumes requiring decades or more to assemble manually can now be automatically built in a few months. This makes serial-section transmission electron microscopy practical for high-resolution exploration of all complex tissue systems (neural or nonneural) as well as for ultrastructural screening of genetic models.

A framework for analysis of terabyte-scale serial-section transmission electron microscopic (ssTEM) datasets overcomes computational barriers and accelerates high-resolution tissue analysis, providing a practical way of mapping complex neural circuitry and an effective screening tool for neurogenetics.

Odorant responsiveness of squid olfactory receptor neurons

In the olfactory organ of the squid, Lolliguncula brevis there are five morphological types of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Previous work to characterize odor sensitivity of squid ORNs was performed on only two of the five types in dissociated primary cell cultures. Here, we sought to establish the odorant responsiveness of all five types. We exposed live squid or intact olfactory organs to excitatory odors plus the activity marker, agmatine (AGB), an arginine derivative that enters cells through nonselective cation channels. An antibody against AGB was used to identify odorant-activated neurons. We were able to determine the ORN types of AGB-labeled cells based on their location in the epithelium, morphology and immunolabeling by a set of metabolites: arginine, aspartate, glutamate, glycine, and glutathione. Of 389 neurons identified from metabolite-labeled tissue, 3% were type 1, 32% type 2, 33% type 3, 15% type 4, and 17% type 5. Each ORN type had different odorant specificity with type 3 cells showing the highest percentages of odorant-stimulated AGB labeling. Type 1 cells were rare and none of the identified type 1 cells responded to the tested odorants, which included glutamate, alanine and AGB. Glutamate is a behaviorally attractive odorant and elicited AGB labeling in types 2 and 3. Glutamate-activated AGB labeling was significantly reduced in the presence of the adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536 (80 microM). These data suggest that the five ORN types differ in their relative abundance and odor responsiveness and that the adenylate cyclase pathway is involved in squid olfactory transduction.

Glutamatergic calcium dynamics and deregulation of rat retinal ganglion cells

A rise in intracellular calcium levels ([Ca(2+)](i)) is a key trigger for the lethal effects of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in various central neurons, but a consensus has not been reached on the pathways that mediate glutamate-dependent increases of [Ca(2+)](i) in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Using Ca(2+) imaging techniques we demonstrated that, in the absence of external Mg(2+), the Ca(2+) signal evoked by glutamate was predominantly mediated by NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDA-Rs) in immunopanned RGCs isolated from neonatal or adult rats. Voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and AMPA/kainate-Rs contributed a smaller portion of the Ca(2+) response at saturating concentrations of glutamate. Consistent with NMDA-R involvement, extracellular Mg(2+) inhibited RGC glutamate responses, while glycine had a potentiating effect. With Mg(2+) present externally, the effect of AMPA/kainate-R antagonists was enhanced and both NMDA- and AMPA/kainate-R antagonists greatly reduced the glutamate-induced increases of RGC [Ca(2+)](i). This finding indicates that the primary contribution of AMPA/kainate-Rs to RGC glutamatergic Ca(2+) dynamics is through the depolarization-dependent relief of the Mg(2+) block of NMDA-R channels. The effect of glutamate receptor antagonists on glutamatergic Ca(2+) signals from RGCs in adult rat retinal wholemounts yielded results similar to those obtained using immunopanned RGCs. Additional experiments on isolated RGCs revealed that during a 1 h glutamate (10-1000 microm) exposure, 18-28% of RGCs exhibited delayed Ca(2+) deregulation (DCD) and the RGCs that underwent DCD were positive for the death marker annexin V. RGCs with larger glutamate-evoked Ca(2+) signals were more likely to undergo DCD, and NMDA-R blockade significantly reduced the occurrence of DCD. Identifying the mechanisms underlying RGC excitotoxicity aids in our understanding of the pathophysiology of retinal ischaemia, and this work establishes a major role for NMDA-R-mediated increases in [Ca(2+)](i) in glutamate-related RGC death.

Disinhibition combines with excitation to extend the operating range of the OFF visual pathway in daylight

Cone signals divide into parallel ON and OFF bipolar cell pathways, which respond to objects brighter or darker than the background and release glutamate onto the corresponding type of ganglion cell. It is assumed that ganglion cell excitatory responses are driven by these bipolar cell synapses. Here, we report an additional mechanism: OFF ganglion cells were driven in part by the removal of synaptic inhibition (disinhibition). The disinhibition played a relatively large role in driving responses at low contrasts. The disinhibition persisted in the presence of CNQX and d-AP-5. Furthermore, the CNQX/d-AP-5-resistant response was blocked by l-AP-4, meclofenamic acid, quinine, or strychnine but not by bicuculline. Thus, the disinhibition circuit was driven by the ON pathway and required gap junctions and glycine receptors but not ionotropic glutamate or GABA(A) receptors. These properties implicate the AII amacrine cell, better known for its role in rod vision, as a critical circuit element through the following pathway: cone --> ON cone bipolar cell --> AII cell --> OFF ganglion cell. Rods could also drive this circuit through their gap junctions with cones. Thus, to light decrement, AII cells, driven by electrical synapses with ON cone bipolar cells, would hyperpolarize and reduce glycine release to excite OFF ganglion cells. To light increment, the AII circuit would directly inhibit OFF ganglion cells. These results show a new role for disinhibition in the retina and suggest a new role for the AII amacrine cell in daylight vision.

Alterations in photoreceptor-bipolar cell signaling following ischemia/reperfusion in the rat retina

Studies of retinal ischemia/reperfusion indicate a disparity between the anatomical and functional results; while a large number of rod bipolar cells remain postischemia, there is a significant reduction in the amplitude of the scotopic b-wave of the electroretinogram (ERG). We investigated the alterations in photoreceptor-bipolar cell signaling following ischemia/reperfusion and suggest a mechanism for the decrease in b-wave amplitude. A cation channel probe (agmatine, 1-amino-4-guanidobutane, AGB) was used to assess cellular ion channel activity in neurochemically identified cells secondary to endogenous glutamate release or pharmacological manipulations. By applying the "neurochemical truth point" principle (Sun et al. [2007a] J Comp Neurol, this issue), we have been able to confirm the loss of specific subpopulations of neurons. ERG was used to assess gross retinal function, with parameters of the ERG model providing insight into changes in the phototransduction cascade and sensitivity of postreceptoral glutamate receptors. Following ischemia/reperfusion, rod bipolar cells maintained 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid-responsive metabotropic glutamate receptors and displayed no change in sensitivity to flashes of light as assessed by ERG. Therefore, the loss in b-wave amplitude is likely due to alterations in photoreceptoral glutamate release detected as a change in postsynaptic AGB permeation into rod bipolar cells. Bipolar cell to amacrine cell signaling was also altered. The robust AGB entry into cholinergic amacrine cells was virtually absent in retinas that had undergone ischemia/reperfusion but remained in the AII amacrine cells. Such results suggest a loss of glutamate receptors and/or a change in receptor subunit expression in subpopulations of inner retinal neurons. Although many cells retain their characteristic neurochemical labeling following ischemia/reperfusion, caution should be used when assuming cells participate in functional retinal circuits based solely on the persistence of neurochemical labeling.

Metabolic and functional profiling of the ischemic/reperfused rat retina

We quantitatively tracked the recovery in amino acid labeling and cation channel functionality within distinct retinal elements for up to 2 weeks after an ischemic insult. Pattern recognition analysis of multiple amino acid and agmatine (a cation channel probe; 1-amino-4-guanidobutane; AGB) immunocytochemical patterns was used to classify all neural elements within the retina. This classification was spatially complete and with single-cell resolution. By 48 hours of reperfusion the amino acid labeling pattern of virtually all cell populations had returned to near preischemic levels, with the exception of glutamine and alanine levels, which remained significantly higher in many cell populations. Classification resulted in a total of 18 statistically separable theme classes (including neurons, glia, and extraretinal classes), a reduction of 10 theme classes from the normal retina (Sun et al. [ 2007a, b] J Comp Neurol, this issue). In addition to the known selective losses of amacrine cell types within the inner nuclear layer, we now demonstrate a selective loss of theme classes representing cone bipolar cells within the bipolar cell population. While there was a recovery in the amino acid labeling pattern, there were persistent cation channel gating anomalies (as reflected by AGB labeling) within several theme classes, including the theme class representing all the remaining rod bipolar cells, suggesting aberrant neuronal function secondary to metabolic insult.

Cholinergic innervation of the zebrafish olfactory bulb

A number of fish species receive forebrain cholinergic input but two recent reports failed to find evidence of cholinergic cell bodies or fibers in the olfactory bulbs (OBs) of zebrafish. In the current study we sought to confirm these findings by examining the OBs of adult zebrafish for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity. We observed a diffuse network of varicose ChAT-positive fibers associated with the nervus terminalis ganglion innervating the mitral cell/glomerular layer (MC/GL). The highest density of these fibers occurred in the anterior region of the bulb. The cellular targets of this cholinergic input were identified by exposing isolated OBs to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) agonists in the presence of agmatine (AGB), a cationic probe that permeates some active ion channels. Nicotine (50 microM) significantly increased the activity-dependent labeling of mitral cells and juxtaglomerular cells but not of tyrosine hydroxlase-positive dopaminergic neurons (TH(+) cells) compared to control preparations. The nAChR antagonist mecamylamine, an alpha7-nAChR subunit-specific antagonist, calcium-free artificial cerebrospinal fluid, or a cocktail of ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) antagonists each blocked nicotine-stimulated labeling, suggesting that AGB does not enter the labeled neurons through activated nAChRs but rather through activated iGluRs following ACh-stimulated glutamate release. Deafferentation of OBs did not eliminate nicotine-stimulated labeling, suggesting that cholinergic input is primarily acting on bulbar neurons. These findings confirm the presence of a functioning cholinergic system in the zebrafish OB.

Manganese-enhanced MRI studies of alterations of intraretinal ion demand in models of ocular injury

PURPOSE

To provide proof-of-concept that the extent of intraretinal manganese uptake after systemic MnCl(2) injection, detected with manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI), assesses alterations in intraretinal ion demand in models of ocular insult.

METHODS

In Sprague-Dawley rats, retinal ion demand and thickness were measured from MEMRI data collected before, 4 hours after, or 1, 3, and 7 days after intraperitoneal injection of MnCl(2). Choroidal contribution or blood-retinal barrier permeability surface area product (BRB PS') was determined using MRI after Gd-DTPA injection. Ocular injury was evaluated 24 hours after intravitreal injection of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, vehicle) or PBS + ouabain, or after intraperitoneal injection of sodium iodate. Manganese retinal toxicity was assessed by comparing full-field, white-flash electroretinographic (ERG) data obtained before and after systemic MnCl(2) administration. Rat choroidal thickness was measured from cross-sections prepared from paraformaldehyde-perfused adult rats.

RESULTS

Comparing pre- and post-Gd-DTPA images demonstrated minimal choroidal contribution to intraretinal analysis. Intraretinal signal intensity returned to baseline by 7 days after MnCl(2) injection. After ouabain injection, receptor and postreceptor uptake of manganese were subnormal (P < 0.05). After sodium iodate exposure, intraretinal manganese uptake was supernormal (P < 0.05) and did not increase with increasing BRB PS'. ERG data did not show any effect of MnCl(2) on photoreceptor a-wave and postreceptor b-wave relative to baseline at either observation time.

CONCLUSIONS

MEMRI measurements of uptake of systemically administered and nontoxic doses of manganese appear to be a powerful approach for measuring alteration in intraretinal ion demand in models of ocular injury.

Neural reprogramming in retinal degeneration

PURPOSE

Early visual defects in degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) may arise from phased remodeling of the neural retina. The authors sought to explore the functional expression of ionotropic (iGluR) and group 3, type 6 metabotropic (mGluR6) glutamate receptors in late-stage photoreceptor degeneration.

METHODS

Excitation mapping with organic cations and computational molecular phenotyping were used to determine whether retinal neurons displayed functional glutamate receptor signaling in rodent models of retinal degeneration and a sample of human RP.

RESULTS

After photoreceptor loss in rodent models of RP, bipolar cells lose mGluR6 and iGluR glutamate-activated currents, whereas amacrine and ganglion cells retain iGluR-mediated responsivity. Paradoxically, amacrine and ganglion cells show spontaneous iGluR signals in vivo even though bipolar cells lack glutamate-coupled depolarization mechanisms. Cone survival can rescue iGluR expression by OFF bipolar cells. In a case of human RP with cone sparing, iGluR signaling appeared intact, but the number of bipolar cells expressing functional iGluRs was double that of normal retina.

CONCLUSIONS

RP triggers permanent loss of bipolar cell glutamate receptor expression, though spontaneous iGluR-mediated signaling by amacrine and ganglion cells implies that such truncated bipolar cells still release glutamate in response to some nonglutamatergic depolarization. Focal cone-sparing can preserve iGluR display by nearby bipolar cells, which may facilitate late RP photoreceptor transplantation attempts. An instance of human RP provides evidence that rod bipolar cell dendrite switching likely triggers new gene expression patterns and may impair cone pathway function.

Light exposure causes functional changes in the retina: increased photoreceptor cation channel permeability, photoreceptor apoptosis, and altered retinal metabolic function

Light exposure induces retinal photoreceptor degeneration and retinal remodeling in both the normal rat retina and in animal models of retinal degeneration. Although cation entry is one of the triggers leading to apoptosis, it is unclear if this event occurs in isolation, or whether a number of pathways lead to photoreceptor apoptosis following light exposure. Following light exposure, we investigated the characteristics of cation entry, apoptotic markers [using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (EC 2.7.7.31) dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) labeling] and metabolic properties of retina from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and a rat model of retinitis pigmentosa [proline-23-histidine (P23H) rat]. Assessment of cation channel permeability using agmatine (AGB) labeling showed that excessive cation gating accompanied the series of anomalies that occur prior to photoreceptor loss. Increased AGB labeling in photoreceptors was seen in parallel with the appearance of apoptotic photoreceptors detected by TUNEL labeling with only a smaller proportion of cells colocalizing both markers. However, SD and P23H retinal photoreceptors differed in the amounts and colocalization of AGB gating and TUNEL labeling as a function of light exposure. Finally, reduced retinal lactate dehydrogenase levels were found in SD and P23H rat retinas after a 24-h light exposure period. Short-term (2 h) exposure of the P23H rat retina caused an increase in lactate dehydrogenase activity suggesting increased metabolic demand. These results suggest that energy availability may be exacerbated during the early stages of light exposure in susceptible retinas. Also, the concomitant observation of increased ion gating and TUNEL labeling suggest the existence of at least two possible mechanisms in light-damaged retinas in both SD and the P23H rat retina.

Metabolic and functional profiling of the normal rat retina

We established a metabolic and functional profile map of the normal rat retina, given the premise that: 1) amino acid neurochemistry reflects metabolic integrity and cellular identity, and 2) the permeation of a cation channel probe, agmatine (1-amino-4-guanidobutane, AGB), reflects cation channel functionality. The purpose was to provide a unique method of simultaneously assessing the metabolic and functional characteristics of the normal retina, upon which a comparison can be made to disease models. Quantitative pattern recognition analysis of overlapping amino acid and AGB expression profiles was used to provide a statistically robust classification of all neural elements according to their metabolic and functional characteristics. This classification was spatially complete and with single-cell resolution. The resulting classification demonstrated 28 statistically separable theme classes dominated by characteristic glutamate, GABA, glycine, and/or taurine profiles, with each of the neuronal theme classes containing further subtypes. The inclusion of a functional parameter (AGB mapping) in the classification process nearly doubled the number of neural elements that could be ascribed a neurochemical/cation profile, compared to when amino acid labeling was used alone. Strong endogenous glutamate gated AGB labeling was observed in horizontal cells, rod bipolar cells, cholinergic amacrine cells, and AII amacrine cells. The resulting amino acid and AGB profile matrix constitutes a nomogram for assessing cellular responses to experimental challenges in models of ocular disease.

Dendritic compartmentalization of chloride cotransporters underlies directional responses of starburst amacrine cells in retina

The mechanisms in the retina that generate light responses selective for the direction of image motion remain unresolved. Recent evidence indicates that directionally selective light responses occur first in the retina in the dendrites of an interneuron, i.e., the starburst amacrine cell, and that these responses are highly sensitive to the activity of Na-K-2Cl (NKCC) and K-Cl (KCC), two types of chloride cotransporter that determine whether the neurotransmitter GABA depolarizes or hyperpolarizes neurons, respectively. We show here that selective blockade of the NKCC2 and KCC2 cotransporters located on starburst dendrites consistently hyperpolarized and depolarized the starburst cells, respectively, and greatly reduced or eliminated their directionally selective light responses. By mapping NKCC2 and KCC2 antibody staining on these dendrites, we further show that NKCC2 and KCC2 are preferentially located in the proximal and distal dendritic compartments, respectively. Finally, measurements of the GABA reversal potential in different starburst dendritic compartments indicate that the GABA reversal potential at the distal dendrite is more hyperpolarized than at the proximal dendrite due to KCC2 activity. These results thus demonstrate that the differential distribution of NKCC2 on the proximal dendrites and KCC2 on the distal dendrites of starburst cells results in a GABA-evoked depolarization and hyperpolarization at the NKCC2 and KCC2 compartments, respectively, and underlies the directionally selective light responses of the dendrites. The functional compartmentalization of interneuron dendrites may be an important means by which the nervous system encodes complex information at the subcellular level.