June 2023
Volume 64, Issue 8
Open Access
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   June 2023
Functional plasticity in the pure-rod retina of Leucoraja erinacea is associated with the molecular characteristics, structure and development of its neuronal populations
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Ivan Anastassov
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Laura Magana Hernandez
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Abhiniti Wagh
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Emma Alvarez
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Yaqoub Yusuf
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • David Umbertus
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Beatriz Rubio
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Gabrielle Bostwick
    Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships   Ivan Anastassov None; Laura Magana Hernandez None; Abhiniti Wagh None; Emma Alvarez None; Yaqoub Yusuf None; David Umbertus None; Beatriz Rubio None; Gabrielle Bostwick None
  • Footnotes
    Support  NH Grant 1SC2GM144198
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2023, Vol.64, 1664. doi:
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      Ivan Anastassov, Laura Magana Hernandez, Abhiniti Wagh, Emma Alvarez, Yaqoub Yusuf, David Umbertus, Beatriz Rubio, Gabrielle Bostwick; Functional plasticity in the pure-rod retina of Leucoraja erinacea is associated with the molecular characteristics, structure and development of its neuronal populations. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2023;64(8):1664.

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

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Abstract

Purpose : The simplex pure-rod retina of the elasmobranch L. erinacea (little skate) is a rare example among vertebrates of a retina with a monotypic photoreceptor population. It is also unique in its ability to function under both scotopic and photopic conditions using only rods. We have little knowledge about what adaptations at the structural and molecular levels allow such duality in function. The developmental processes in skate that lead to the mature retinal circuit are also almost entirely unknown. Here, we show that the L. erinacea retina exhibits a high number of evolutionary adaptations at the levels of both photoreceptors and downstream neuronal populations, which are all likely playing a role in mediating its functional plasticity.

Methods : SB-3DEM imaging and in-situ hybridization were performed on individual retinal samples from little skate. SB-3DEM datasets analyzed here are from several regions of interest in the OPL, and from several full cross-section regions of the retina. 3D reconstructions and measurements were done with Reconstruct and Amira3D software. In-situ hybridization was performed on adult and on mid-late stage embryo retinas.

Results : 12-14 invaginating and an undefined number of basal processes were identified synapsing with each rod terminal. Each rod possess ~2-10 telodendria and ~1-4 synaptic ribbons. Often, a telodendrion from one rod was observed invaginating into a neighboring rod terminal. There is diversity in bipolar cell subtypes, as evident by different cell body and dendritic tree morphologies. Rod to bipolar cell convergence ratios vary widely: ~36-131 rods to a bipolar cell. Bipolar cell dendritic contacts are mixed, displaying both invaginating and basal contacts to rods within the same cell. Two types of horizontal cells (HCs) were observed – internal HC and external HC, as previously described. Surface area for both is ~2000μm2 , but volume is different: ~4000μm3 for EHCs and ~2000μm3 for IHCs. Rho and GAT mRNAs are both present in adult retina, but only GAT transcripts are detectable at stage 32.

Conclusions : Retinal neurons and circuitry exhibit many hybrid anatomical features, likely related to the ability of the skate retina to function across lighting conditions with only rods. The birth order of retinal neurons is so far similar to what is observed in mixed rod-cone retinas.

This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.

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