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Synaptic connections of starburst amacrine cells and localization of acetylcholine receptors in primate retinas
Author(s) -
Yamada Elizabeth S.,
Dmitrieva Nina,
Keyser Kent T.,
Lindstrom Jon M.,
Hersh Louis B.,
Marshak David W.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.10672
Subject(s) - biology , amacrine cell , neuroscience , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , retina , retinal waves , acetylcholine receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , acetylcholine , inner plexiform layer , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor m2 , receptor , intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells , retinal ganglion cell , endocrinology , biochemistry
Starburst amacrine cells in the macaque retina were studied by electron microscopic immunohistochemistry. We found that these amacrine cells make a type of synapse not described previously; they are presynaptic to axon terminals of bipolar cells. We also confirmed that starburst amacrine cells are presynaptic to ganglion cell dendrites and amacrine cell processes. In order to determine the functions of these synapses, we localized acetylcholine receptors using a monoclonal antibody (mAb210) that recognizes human α3‐ and α5‐containing nicotinic receptors and also antisera against the five known subtypes of muscarinic receptors. The majority of the mAb210‐immunoreactive perikarya were amacrine cells and ganglion cells, but a subpopulation of bipolar cells was also labeled. A subset of bipolar cells and a subset of horizontal cells were labeled with antibodies to M3 muscarinic receptors. A subset of amacrine cells, including those that contain cholecystokinin, were labeled with antibodies to M2 receptors. Taken together, these results suggest that acetylcholine can modulate the activity of retinal ganglion cells by multiple pathways. J. Comp. Neurol. 461:76–90, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.