GABA-immunoreactive starburst amacrine cells in pigmented and albino rats

In this study we tested whether the critical anatomical substrate for retinal direction selectivity is altered in albino mammals. We used dual immunostaining for GABA and choline acetyltransferase and quantitatively analyzed the number of double‐labelled starburst amacrine cells in wild‐type and alb...

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Published inThe European journal of neuroscience Vol. 20; no. 11; pp. 3195 - 3198
Main Authors Blaszczyk, W. M., Telkes, I., Distler, C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.12.2004
Subjects
albinism
Amacrine Cells - metabolism
Animals
Choline O-Acetyltransferase - metabolism
direction selectivity
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
optokinetic system
Rats
Rats, Long-Evans
Rats, Wistar
rattus norvegicus
Retina - cytology
Species Specificity
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Summary:In this study we tested whether the critical anatomical substrate for retinal direction selectivity is altered in albino mammals. We used dual immunostaining for GABA and choline acetyltransferase and quantitatively analyzed the number of double‐labelled starburst amacrine cells in wild‐type and albino rats. In albino rats, the percentage of ON‐amacrine cells with high GABA content was significantly lower than in pigmented animals. OFF‐amacrines did not significantly differ between the two rat strains. Thus, the decreased GABA content in ON‐amacrine cells could reflect an altered neuronal substrate for retinal direction selectivity. These results are discussed in relation to the optokinetic deficits described in albino mammals.
Bibliography:ark:/67375/WNG-1X8VLH3X-Q
istex:E8159C2AA6C93AB5D040ECB895BAE829C3E4A7A0
ArticleID:EJN3761
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:0953-816X
1460-9568
DOI:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03761.x