May 2006
Volume 47, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2006
Expression of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Developing Rabbit Retina
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Y.–C. Chang
    Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Republic of China
    Department of Nursing, Jen–Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli, Taiwan Republic of China
  • C.–C. Chiao
    Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Republic of China
    Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan Republic of China
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  Y. Chang, None; C. Chiao, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Taiwan NSC 94–2311–B–007–018
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2006, Vol.47, 2789. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation

      Y.–C. Chang, C.–C. Chiao; Expression of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Developing Rabbit Retina . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2006;47(13):2789.

      Download citation file:


      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose: : Glutamate has been suggested to regulate the development of retinal neurons, but ontogenic expression of ionotropic glutamate receptors has only recently been characterized in the rat retina. It has been shown that retinal waves in rabbits switch from the fast cholinergic drive to the fast glutamatergic drive in P1–P3. In this study, we aimed to examine the expression patterns of AMPA receptors, and to functionally map glutamatergic drive in the developing rabbit retina.

Methods: : The retinas from New Zealand White rabbits of different developmental stages (postnatal day 0 to 10, and adult) were isolated and cryosectioned into vertical slices. Antibodies against GluR1, GluR2/3, and GluR4 were used to examine the postnatal expression patterns of AMPA receptor subunits. To further map glutamatergic drive in the developing rabbit retina, the agmatine (AGB) activation assay developed by Marc (1999) were employed in this study.

Results: : All AMPA receptor subunits, including GluR1, GluR2/3, and GluR4, expressed in both the inner and the outer plexiform layers (IPL and OPL) at birth. However, the expression of GluR1 and GluR4 subunits were weak in P0 and P2, and showed a striking increase from P4 to P6. In contrast, the expression of GluR2/3 subunits was strong in the IPL from P0, while the expression in the OPL was not strong until P6. The AGB activation assay revealed that some amacrine and ganglion cells can be activated with 2 µM AMPA from P0, and with increased concentration of AMPA (20 µM), some horizontal cells can be activated at the same stage. In contrast, higher concentration of NMDA (500 µM) was required for activating some ganglion cells from P0 and a few amacrine cells from P2.

Conclusions: : Ionotropic glutamate receptors were expressed and functioning in early stages of the developing rabbit retina. This expression pattern coincides with the switch of glutamatergic drive of the retinal wave, and may contribute to the synaptic maturation in the retinal circuits.

Keywords: excitatory amino acid receptors • immunohistochemistry • excitatory neurotransmitters 
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×