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Dopaminergic and GABAergic retinal cell populations in mammals
Author(s) -
NguyenLegros Jeanine,
VersauxBotteri Claudine,
Savy Claudine
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0029(19970101)36:1<26::aid-jemt3>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - dopaminergic , gabaergic , inner plexiform layer , neuroscience , amacrine cell , inner nuclear layer , dopamine , population , retina , outer plexiform layer , retinal , biology , axon , colocalization , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , biochemistry , demography , sociology
A number of modern techniques now allow histologists to characterize subpopulations of retinal neurons by their neurotransmitters. The morphologies and connections of these chemically defined neurons can be analyzed precisely at both light and electron microscope levels and lead to a better understanding of retinal circuitry. The dopaminergic neurons form a loose population of special wide‐field amacrine cells bearing intraretinal axons within the inner plexiform layer. One subtype, the interplexiform cell, sends an axon to the outer plexiform and outer nuclear layers. The number of interplexiform cells is variable throughout mammalian species. The GABAergic neurons form a dense and heterogeneous population of amacrine cells branching at all levels of the inner plexiform layer. The presence of GABA in horizontal cells seems to be species‐dependent. Close relationships occur between dopaminergic and GABAergic cells. GABA antagonizes a number of dopaminergic actions by inhibiting both the release and synthesis of dopamine. This inhibition can be supported by GABA synapses onto dopaminergic cells, but GABA can also diffuse to its targets. Finally, GABA is also contained and synthesized in dopaminergic cells. This colocalization might be the basis of an intracellular modulation of dopamine by GABA. Microsc Res Tech 36:26–42, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.