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Evidence that certain retinal bipolar cells use both glutamate and GABA
Author(s) -
Kao YenHong,
Lassová Luisa,
BarYehuda Tehilla,
Edwards Robert H.,
Sterling Peter,
Vardi Noga
Publication year - 2004
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.20221
Subject(s) - neuroscience , glutamate receptor , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , excitatory postsynaptic potential , retina , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , glutamatergic , colocalization , chemistry , receptor , biochemistry
Retinal bipolar neurons release the excitatory transmitter, glutamate. However, certain bipolar cells contain GABA, raising the question whether a neuron might release both transmitters and, if so, what function might the inhibitory transmitter play in a particular circuit? Here we identify a subset of cone bipolar cells in cat retina that contain glutamate, plus its vesicular transporter (VGLUT1), and GABA, plus its synthetic enzyme (GAD 65 ) and its vesicular transporter (VGAT). These cells are negative for a marker of ON bipolar cells and restrict their axons to the OFF strata of the inner synaptic layer. They do not colocalize with the neurokinin 3 receptor that stains a type (or two) of OFF bipolar cells. By “targeted injection,” we identified two types of OFF bipolar cell with the machinery to make and package both transmitters. One of these types costratifies with a dopamine plexus. J. Comp. Neurol. 478:207–218, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.