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Two neuropharmacological types of rabbit ON-alpha ganglion cells express GABAC receptors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2003

THOMAS C. ROTOLO  and
RAMON F. DACHEUX
THOMAS C. ROTOLO
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham
RAMON F. DACHEUX
Affiliation:
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham
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Abstract

The major inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA and glycine provide the bulk of input to large-field ganglion cells in the retina. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were used to characterize the glycine- and GABA-activated currents for morphologically identified ON-α ganglion cells in the rabbit retina. Cells identified as ON-α cells by light evoked currents were intracellularly stained and examined by light microscopy which revealed dendritic stratification in the vitreal half of the inner plexiform layer and confirmed their physiological identity. All Ca2+-mediated synaptic influences were abolished with Co2+, revealing two types of ON-α cell characterized by their different inhibitory current profiles. One group exhibited larger glycine- than GABA-activated currents, while the other group had larger GABA- than glycine-activated currents. Both cell types demonstrated strychnine-sensitive glycine-activated currents and bicuculline-sensitive GABAA-activated currents. Surprisingly, both cell types expressed functional GABAC receptors demonstrated by their sensitivity to TPMPA. In addition, the cells with larger glycine-activated currents also possessed GABAB receptors, whereas those with larger GABA-activated currents did not. Immunocytochemical experiments confirmed the presence of glycine, GABAA, and GABAC receptor subunits on all physiologically identified ON-α ganglion cells in this study. In addition, the GABAB receptor immunolabeled puncta were present on the cells with larger glycine-activated currents, but not on the cells with the larger GABA-activated currents. In conclusion, the presence of different functional GABA and glycine receptors determined physiologically correlated well with the specific GABA and glycine receptor immunolabeling for two neuropharmacological types of rabbit ON-α ganglion cells.

Keywords

Alpha-ganglion cellsGABA receptorsGlycine receptorsWhole-cell patch-clamp recordingsConfocal microscopyImmunocytochemistry
Type
Research Article
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , July 2003 , pp. 373 - 384
Copyright
2003 Cambridge University Press

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