L-Glutamate depolarizes ON-OFF transient type of amacrine cells in the carp retina: an ionophoretic study

Regulation of transmitter release from retinal bipolar cells

Mb1 bipolar cells (ON-type cells) of the goldfish retina have exceptionally large (approximately 10 microns in diameter) presynaptic terminals, and thus, are suitable for investigating presynaptic mechanisms for transmitter release. Using enzymatically dissociated Mb1 bipolar cells under whole-cell voltage clamp, we measured the Ca2+ current (ICa), the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and membrane capacitance changes associated with exocytosis and endocytosis. Release of transmitter (glutamate) was monitored electrophysiologically by a glutamate receptor-rich neuron as a probe. L-type Ca2+ channels were localized at the presynaptic terminals. The presynaptic [Ca2+]i was strongly regulated by cytoplasmic Ca2+ buffers, the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger and the Ca2+ pump in the plasma membrane. Once ICa was activated, a steep Ca2+ gradient was created around Ca2+ channels; [Ca2+]i increased to approximately 100 microM at the fusion sites of synaptic vesicles whereas up to approximately 1 microM at the cytoplasm. The short delay (approximately 1 ms) of exocytosis and the lack of prominent asynchronous release after the termination of ICa suggested a low-affinity Ca2+ fusion sensor for exocytosis. Depending on the rate of Ca2+ influx, glutamate was released in a rapid phasic mode as well as a tonic mode. Multiple pools of synaptic vesicles as well as vesicle cycling seemed to support continuous glutamate release. Activation of protein kinase C increased the size of synaptic vesicle pool, resulting in the potentiation of glutamate release. Goldfish Mb1 bipolar cells may still be an important model system for understanding the molecular mechanisms of transmitter release.

Dopamine release via protein kinase C activation in the fish retina

Calcium-dependent phospholipid-sensitive protein kinase [protein kinase C (PKC)] was partially purified from the carp (Cyprinus carpio) retina through DE 52 ion exchange and Cellulofine gel filtration chromatography. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) activated PKC in the nanomolar range. A major 38-kDa protein in the retinal supernatants (105,000 g) was phosphorylated in vitro by PKC during a short period (3 min). Other phosphoproteins also appeared during a further prolonged period (greater than 15 min). Rod-bipolar and dopamine (DA) interplexiform cells in the fish retina were immunoreactive to a monoclonal antibody to PKC (alpha/beta-subtype). The PKC antibody recognized a 78-kDa native PKC enzyme by means of an immunoblotting method. Subsequently, the effects of two kinds of PKC activators were investigated on [3H]DA release from retinal cell fractions containing DA cells that had been preloaded with [3H]DA. A phorbol ester (TPA) induced a calcium- and dose-dependent [3H]DA release during a short period (2 min), with the minimal effective dose being approximately 1 nM. Other phorbols having no tumor-promoting activity, such as 4 beta-phorbol and 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, were ineffective on [3H]DA release. A synthetic diacylglycerol [1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG)], which is an endogenous PKC activator, was also able to induce a significant release of [3H]DA. Furthermore, TPA was found to release endogenous DA from isolated fish retina by a highly sensitive HPLC with electrochemical detection method. The OAG- or TPA-induced [3H]DA or DA release was completely blocked by inhibitors of PKC, such as 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) and staurosporine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Neurotoxic effects of L-alpha-aminoadipic acid on the carp retina: a long term observation

The hypothesis has been tested that the enantiomers of alpha-aminoadipic acid have different target effects; the L-isomer has both glio- and neurotoxic actions, while the DL-isomer has a gliospecific action in the CNS. Electrophysiological and morphological studies were carried out on the retina of the carp (Cyprinus carpio) for one to two months after intraocular injection with alpha-aminoadipic acids at various doses. Intracellular recording from horizontal cells and extracellular recording of spike discharges from ganglion cells in isolated retinal preparations were made from control and pretreated retinas at various intervals after intraocular injection with the enantiomers. In control retinas, application of 15 mM L-alpha-aminoadipic acid in the superfusate resulted in hyperpolarization of all horizontal cells and in a decrease in amplitude of their light responses (S-potentials). In the retinas pretreated with L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (8 mumol), low amplitude S-potentials were seen during an early phase 2-4 h after ocular injection, but the normal appearance of S-potentials was restored one day after injection. In control retinas, a brief period of iontophoretic application of L-alpha-aminoadipic acid resulted in a slight activation of the spontaneous spike firing of ganglion cells but a slight decrease in the rate of light-induced firing. In retinas pretreated with intraocular L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (4 mumol) 4 h prior to eye removal, however, light-induced spike discharges were abolished from nearly all spontaneously firing ganglion cells (greater than 90%). Their unresponsiveness to light stimuli lasted for more than two months after injection, and was accompanied by insensitivity to iontophoretically applied putative neurotransmitters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bipolar cells in the turtle retina are strongly immunoreactive for glutamate

Strong glutamate immunoreactivity was observed by both light and electron microscopy in bipolar cells of the turtle (Pseudemys scripta elegans) retina after postembedding immunohistochemistry. Virtually all bipolar cells showed strong labeling, on average 18 times that of the Müller (glial) cells. The data suggest that both on- and off-center bipolar cells are glutamatergic. Photoreceptors were also labeled, but with a labeling intensity about half that of the bipolar cells. Other types of retinal neurons showed less immunoreactivity, except for a small population of strongly labeled amacrine cells.

Ultracytochemical distribution of ouabain-sensitive, K+-dependent, p-nitrophenylphosphatase in the synaptic layers of goldfish retina

Ouabain-sensitive, K+-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K+-pNPPase) activity, which represents the second dephosphorylation step of Na+,K+-ATPase, was localized histochemically at the light and electron microscopical levels in the goldfish retina. K+-pNPPase staining was most intense in the outer and inner plexiform layers and less intense over the photoreceptor inner segments. K+-pNPPase staining was observed on the membranes of horizontal cell dendrites and presynaptic membrane of all cone pedicles but only rarely over rod spherules. Bipolar cell dendrites in the outer plexiform layer were not stained for K+-pNPPase. In the inner plexiform layer (IPL), K+-pNPPase staining was observed at 90% of the bipolar cell ribbon synapses but only at 40% of amacrine cell synapses. The proportion of K+-pNPPase staining at amacrine cell synapses increased from 26 to 49% as one progressed from the outer to inner layers of the IPL, while staining at bipolar cell synapses showed no such trend. Only 16% of the amacrine synapses onto mixed, rod-cone (mb) bipolar cell synaptic terminals were positive for K+-pNPPase. We suggest that the differential distribution of K+-pNPPase staining at retinal synapses can be explained, in part, by the ionic conductances gated at the postsynaptic sites. In addition, the presence of K+-pNPPase on lateral horizontal cell dendrites in cone pedicles is consistent with the hypothesis that the sodium pump is involved in the release of GABA at feedback synapses from horizontal cells to cone photoreceptors.