Morphological Analysis Of CD15-immunoreactive Neurons In The Rat Retina

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To investigate the distribution and characteristics of CD15-immunoreactive neurons in the rat retina. Methods: Whole-mount preparations and Vibratome sections were processed for CD15 immunocytochemistry. Double labeling using anti-CD15 and -nNOS or -GAD65 antisera was applied. Results: Two types of amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and displaced amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), were labeled with anti-CD15 antisera. Type 1 amacrine cells had large somata located in the INL, with long and branched processes ramifying mainly in strata 3 and 4 of the inner plexiform layer (IPL). Somata of type 2 cells had smaller diameters, and their processes stratified in stratum 1. The density of type 1 and type 2 amacrine cells increased from about 50/mm₂ in the peripheral retina, to 175/mm₂ and 200/mm₂ in the central retina, respectively. The density of labeled displaced amacrine cells was 75/mm₂ in the peripheral retina and 200/mm₂ in the central retina. Colocalization experiments demonstrated that these CD15-labeled cells exhibited both nNOS and GAD65 immunoreactivities. Conclusion: All CD15-labeled cells show nNOS immunoreactivity and constitute a subpopulation of GABAergic amacrine cells in the rat retina.

Keywords: 557 retina: proximal(bipolar, amacrine, and ganglion cells) • 556 retina: neurochemistry • 339 cell adhesions/cell junctions