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Glutamate‐like immunoreactivity in retinal terminals in the nucleus of the optic tract in rabbits
Author(s) -
Cardozo Bob Nunes,
Buijs Ruud,
van der Want Johannes
Publication year - 1991
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.903090207
Subject(s) - neuropil , biology , optic tract , glutamate receptor , dendrite (mathematics) , pretectal area , retina , immunocytochemistry , nucleus , immunolabeling , synaptic vesicle , retinal , lateral geniculate nucleus , neuroscience , ultrastructure , anatomy , biophysics , midbrain , central nervous system , biochemistry , vesicle , endocrinology , receptor , immunohistochemistry , geometry , mathematics , membrane , immunology
The ultrastructural organization of retinal terminals within the nucleus of the optic tract of rabbits was investigated with a combination of anterograde tracing and immunocytochemistry. The anterogradely transported WGA‐HRP injected in the vitreous of the eye was visualized with the sensitive gold‐substituted silver peroxidase (GSSP) method. Glutamate and GABA immunoreactivity were identified with postembedding colloidal gold particles. Retinal ganglion cell terminals (R‐terminals) in the nucleus of the optic tract formed asymmetric synapses and contained spherical vesicles and electron lucent mitochondria. R‐terminals were observed in large clusters in the neuropil and in synaptic contact with large initial dendrites and somata. Within the clusters of neuropil the R‐terminals formed two types of glomeruluslike arrangements: (1) an R‐terminal centrally located and surrounded by small dendritic and axonal profiles and (2) several R‐terminals surrounding a single dendrite or a group of dendritic profiles, presumably of interneuronal origin. All R‐terminals identified with WGA‐HRP as well as those exhibiting similar ultrastructural characteristics showed high levels of glutamate immunoreactivity, but no GABA immunoreactivity. The presence of glutamate and the absence of GABA in R‐terminals suggest that glutamate is involved in neurotransmission in the pathway from retina to the nucleus of the optic tract of rabbits.