Dependence of the b-wave on the potassium concentration in the isolated superfused rabbit retina

The amplitude of the b-wave of the isolated superfused rabbit retina is drastically reduced with increasing potassium concentration (10 and 20 mM respectively) in the perfusate like in frog retina. These results are in agreement with the idea of the glial origin of the b-wave, but an influence of potassium on synaptic transmission remains a possibility. For these results the conditions for tissue survival are imperative. When the retina was superfused with a plasma saline mixture kept at 35°C, b-wave amplitudes for different preparations varied between 300 V and 900 V and loss of sensitivity was tolerated till 15% in one preparation. The temperature quotient for the amplitude of b-wave was 4–6 between 35° and 25°C, for the peak time about two.     

Interrelationship between retinal ischaemic damage and turnover and metabolism of putative amino acid neurotransmitters,glutamate and GABA

Conditions causing a reduction of oxygen availability (anoxia), such as stroke or diabetes, result in drastic changes in ion movements, levels of neurotransmitters and metabolites and subsequent neural death. Currently, there is no clinically available treatment for anoxia induced neural cell death resulting in drastic and permanent central nervous system dysfunction. However, there have been some exciting developments in experimentally induced anoxic conditions where several classes of drugs appear to significantly reduce neural cell death. This report aims to provide the foundations for understanding both the basic mechanisms involved in retinal ischaemic damage and experimental treatments used to prevent such damage. We discuss the normal release, actions and uptake of the fast retinal neurotransmitters, glutamate and GABA, in the vertebrate retina. Immunocytochemistry is used to demonstrate that both glutamate and GABA are found in the macaque retina. Following this is a discussion on how ischaemia may enhance neurotransmitter release or disrupt its uptake, thus causing an increase in extracellular concentration of these neurotransmitters and subsequent neuronal damage. The mechanisms involved in glutamate neurotoxicity are reviewed, because excess glutamate is the likely cause of retinal ischaemic damage. Finally, the mechanisms behind four possible modes of treatment of neurotransmitter toxicity and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Hopefully, further research in this area will lead to the development of a rational therapy for retinal, as well as cerebral ischaemia.Abbreviations -KG -ketoglutarate - AAT aspartate amino transferase - AC amacrine cell - ACL amacrine cell layer - BC bipolar cell - CNS central nervous system - EAA excitatory amino acids - G'ase glutaminase - GABA -amino butyric acid - GABA-T GABA transaminase - GAD glumatic acid decarboxylase - GC ganglion cell - GCL ganglion cell layer - GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - gj gap junction - GS glutamine synthetase - HC horizontal cell - ILM inner limiting membrane - INL inner nuclear layer - IPC inter-plexiform cell - IPL inner plexiform layer - IS inner segment of photoreceptor - NFL nerve fibre layer - NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate - OLM outer limiting membrane - ONL outer nuclear layer - OPL outer plexiform layer - OS outer segment of photoreceptor - Ox acetateoxaloacetate - RL receptor layer - SSAD succinate semi-aldehyde decarboxylase - Succinate SA succinate semi aldehyde - TCA cycle tricarboxylic acid cycle     

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Neurogenesis in the Chick Retina

Chick embryo retinas were labelled in ovo by single injections of [3H]thymidine at selected times between days 2 and 12 of incubation. Embryos were later removed, at different stages of development, and the retinas processed for autoradiography of either serial sections or dissociated cell preparations. Analysis of unlabelled cells shows that neurogenesis starts, on day 2 of incubation, in a dorsotemporal area of the central retina, close to the posterior pole and to the optic nerve head. A gradient of neurogenesis spreads from this central area to the periphery, where neurogenesis ends, shortly after day 12, when the last few bipolar cells withdraw from the cell cycle. Additional dorsal-to-ventral and temporal-to-nasal gradients can be discerned in our autoradiographs. In all retinal sectors, ganglion cells start first to withdraw from the cell cycle, followed, with substantial overlapping, by amacrine, horizontal, photoreceptor plus Müller, and bipolar neuroblasts. Ganglion cells are also the first to reach the 50% level of unlabelled cells, followed this time by horizontal, photoreceptor, amacrine, Müller and bipolar cells. Finally, 100% levels of unlabelled cell populations are attained simultaneously by ganglion, horizontal and photoreceptor cells, followed by amacrine, then by Müller, and last by bipolar cells. Although all classes of neurons, in varying proportions, are being produced most of the time, our results also demonstrate that, in any given retinal area, the first cells leaving the cycle are determined to become ganglion cells, and the last ones bipolar cells, and not other types.     

Glycine-receptor immunoreactivity in retinal bipolar cells is postsynaptic to glycinergic and GABAergic amacrine cell synapses.

Glycinergic innervation of the synaptic terminals of mixed rod-cone bipolar cells in the goldfish retina was investigated by electron microscopical immunocytochemistry with presynaptic and postsynaptic markers for glycinergic neurons: a monoclonal antibody (mAb 7A) against the 93 kDa subunit of the strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor and polyclonal antisera against a glycine/BSA conjugate. Conventional "glycinergic" synaptic contacts, made by amacrine cell processes, accounted for 7-10% of the input to the bipolar cell terminals, whether determined by glycine receptor immunoreactivity (GlyR-IR) or glycine-IR. In addition to the conventional synapses, the large bipolar cell terminals in the proximal inner plexiform layer (type Mb) gave rise to spinules (spine-like protrusions) that invaginated into presynaptic amacrine cell processes. Although 85% of the spinules were GlyR-IR, no spinules were postsynaptic to glycine-IR processes; yet 86% of the spinules were postsynaptic to GAD-IR processes, suggesting that the GlyR-IR spinules were postsynaptic to GABAergic terminals. Furthermore, a single amacrine cell process could make two synapses with an Mb terminal: a GlyR-IR contact onto a spinule and a conventional synapse that was not GlyR-IR. We suggest that glycinergic innervation of bipolar cell terminals involves conventional glycinergic synapses as well as an unconventional situation in which GABA and glycine may interact in as yet undetermined manner, perhaps by potentiation.     

Light-adaptive effects of retinoic acid on receptive field properties of retinal horizontal cells

Besides its role in ocular development, retinoic acid (RA), which is a light-correlated byproduct of the phototransduction cycle, was recently shown to affect light-driven synaptic plasticity in the outer plexiform layer of the adult fish retina. Tuning by ambient light conditions of the retinal network properties is very prominent in outer plexiform layer circuits, and we therefore examined whether RA could affect cone horizontal cell physiology similar to ambient light. Performing intracellular recordings and dye injections in the dark-adapted inverted eyecup preparation of the carp, we found that RA reduced the receptive fields of horizontal cell somata and impaired gap junctional communication. This action was not observed among coupled axon terminals of horizontal cells and appeared to be stereospecific because it could only be attributed to all-trans and 13-cis RA but not to the 9-cis isomer and photoisomerized all-trans RA. Modulation of receptive field size occurred independently of the dopaminergic system. Furthermore, RA affected the light responsiveness of cone horizontal cells. Compared to the dark-adapted condition, responsiveness to intense light stimulation was enhanced but decreased when low intensities were used. Moreover, following RA treatment H2-type horizontal cells of dark-adapted retinae which do not give rise to colour-opponent light properties became colour-opponent and performed depolarizing responses to long-wavelength stimulation. In all these cases RA perfectly matched the effects of light adaptation, supporting the notion that RA acts as an endogenous neuromodulator.     

银杏叶提取物对谷氨酸诱导的兔视网膜NO水平及细胞凋亡的影响

目的 :探讨银杏叶提取物 (extract of ginkgo biloba ,EGB)对谷氨酸诱导的兔视网膜NO水平及细胞凋亡的影响作用。方法 :利用谷氨酸兔玻璃体内注射 ,诱导视网膜细胞凋亡的模型 ,眼球后注射不同剂量的EGB ,采用分光光度法测定兔视网膜NO水平 ,琼脂糖凝胶电泳分析视网膜细胞DNA断裂。结果 :实验对照组视网膜的NO的水平与空白对照组相比显著增加 (P<0.001) ,EGB大剂量治疗组视网膜NO水平比实验对照组显著降低 (P<0.001) ,EGB小剂量治疗组视网膜的NO水平与实验组相比轻度降低 ,但无统计学差别。EGB大剂量治疗组和空白对照组视网膜细胞无DNA凋亡样断裂 ,而实验组和EGB小剂量治疗组视网膜细胞DNA凋亡样断裂。结论 :银杏叶提取物可能通过抑制谷氨酸诱导的兔视网膜NO自由基的产生而抑制细胞凋亡 ,对谷氨酸诱导的兔视网膜损伤具有重要保护作用。     

视网膜与松果体相关关系研究现状

就近年关于对视网膜与松果体在胚胎期的发生与形成、在成年时期的结构与功能等诸多方面的相似性进行了探讨，同时对两者的相互关系与相互影响进行了分析。随着对该领域不断深入的探讨，将有益于对视觉的重新认识和眼科临床的发展。     

微波诱导视网膜神经细胞凋亡及硒的保护作用

目的 观察微波诱导视网膜神经细胞凋亡及硒的保护作用。方法 体外培养视网膜神经细胞,按微波辐照强度分为４组辐照１ｈ,选３０ｍＷ．ｃｍ＾－２组为防护组,在培养液中加入Ｎａ２ＳｅＯ３后辐照,照后测培养液温度,细胞存活率,激光共聚焦显微镜观察细胞凋亡并进行荧光强度的定量分析。结果 培养液温度,细胞凋亡数量及荧光强度 随微波辐照强度增大而增加,加Ｎａ２ＳｅＯ３后辐照可使凋亡细胞数量减少,荧光强度减弱。结论微