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Identification and characterization of an aquaporin 1 immunoreactive amacrine‐type cell of the mouse retina
Author(s) -
Kang TaeHoon,
Choi YeonKyung,
Kim InBeom,
Oh SuJa,
Chun MyungHoon
Publication year - 2005
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.20589
Subject(s) - amacrine cell , retina , inner plexiform layer , inner nuclear layer , biology , immunocytochemistry , gabaergic , ganglion cell layer , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , inhibitory postsynaptic potential
Using immunocytochemistry, a type of amacrine cell that is immunoreactive for aquaporin 1 was identified in the mouse retina. AQP1 immunoreactivity was found in photoreceptor cells of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and in a distinct type of amacrine cells of the inner nuclear layer (INL). AQP1‐immunoreactive (IR) amacrine cell somata were located in the INL and their processes extended through strata 3 and 4 of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) with thin varicosities. The density of the AQP1‐IR amacrine cells increased from 100/mm 2 in the peripheral retina to 350/mm 2 in the central retina. The AQP1‐IR amacrine cells comprise 0.5% of the total amacrine cells. The AQP1‐IR amacrine cell bodies formed a regular mosaic, which suggested that they represent a single type of amacrine cell. Double labeling with AQP1 and glycine, γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) or GAD 65 antiserum demonstrated that the AQP1‐IR amacrine cells expressed GABA or GAD 65 but not glycine. Their synaptic input was primarily from other amacrine cell processes. They also received synaptic inputs from a few cone bipolar cells. The primary synaptic targets were ganglion cells, followed by other amacrine cells and cone bipolar cells. In addition, gap junctions between an AQP1‐IR amacrine process and another amacrine process were rarely observed. In summary, a GABAergic amacrine cell type labeled by an antibody against AQP1 was identified in the mouse retina and was found to play a possible role in transferring a certain type of visual information from other amacrine or a few cone bipolar cells primarily to ganglion cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 488:352–367, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.