Postnatal development of ganglion cells in the rabbit retina: characterizations with AB5 and GABA antibodies

• Published in: Brain research. Developmental brain research Vol. 61; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Fry, K R, Chen, N X, Glazebrook, P A, Lam, D M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 16.07.1991
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Antibodies, Monoclonal; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - analysis; Immunohistochemistry; Rabbits; Retina - cytology; Retina - growth & development; Retinal Ganglion Cells - cytology; Retinal Ganglion Cells - physiology
• ISSN: 0165-3806
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-3806(91)90112-V

The use of cell-specific monoclonal antibodies provides a means by which the emergence, differentiation and maturation of retinal neurons can be studied. The present study investigates the labelling of ganglion cells in the developing rabbit retina by a ganglion cell-specific monoclonal antibody, AB5(12,13). AB5 labelling of ganglion cells was observed as early as day postnatal. By 6-8 days postnatal, AB5-labelled ganglion cells had begun differentiating into the various ganglion cell subtypes observed in the adult retina. This differentiation process appeared to continue throughout the first 3 weeks postnatal. The AB5 monoclonal antibody was also used in a double-label paradigm with an anti-gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) polyclonal antibody to differentiate the GABAergic ganglion cells from other GABAergic elements in the retina and to study their development. GABAergic ganglion cells were first observed at 3 days postnatal and by 6 days postnatal, it was possible to observe a wide variety of GABAergic ganglion cells ranging from small cells to large alpha-type cells. The appearance of AB5 labelling in ganglion cells at relatively early stages of development suggests that the AB5 monoclonal antibody may be a useful tool for studying the development of ganglion cell structure, distribution, synaptic relationships and neurochemical specificity.