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Effects of the taurine transport antagonist, guanidinoethane sulfonate, and β‐alanine on the morphology of rat retina
Author(s) -
PasantesMorales H.,
Quesada O.,
Cárabez A.,
Huxtable R. J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490090205
Subject(s) - antagonist , taurine , alanine , retina , chemistry , methane sulfonate , sulfonate , pharmacology , morphology (biology) , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , biochemistry , amino acid , zoology , mutant , receptor , gene , sodium , organic chemistry
Newborn rats treated for the first weeks of life with guanidinoethane sulfonate (GES), a blocker of taurine transport producing taurine depletion, showed a severe disruption of photoreceptor structure. Photoreceptor damage consisted of a marked reduction of the size of the photoreceptor layer, deformation of the outer segments, and a profound disorganization of the disc membranes. The GES‐induced degeneration pattern was very similar to that observed in cats fed a taurine‐deficient diet. Injection of β‐alanine, another antagonist of taurine transport, also produced a disruption of photoreceptor structure. These results confirm the requirement of taurine for maintaining photoreceptor structure in different species.