QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (31) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gustincich, S. Articles by Raviola, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gustincich, S. Articles by Raviola, E.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, September 15, 1999, 19(18):7812-7822

Composition of the GABA_A Receptors of Retinal Dopaminergic Neurons

Stefano Gustincich¹, Andreas Feigenspan¹, Werner Sieghart², and Elio Raviola¹

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, and ² Department of Biochemical Psychiatry, University Clinic for Psychiatry, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria

Transgenic technology, single-cell RT-PCR, and immunocytochemistry were combined to investigate the composition of the GABA_A receptors of dopaminergic (interplexiform) amacrine (DA) cells. A mouse line was used in which these neurons were labeled with human placental alkaline phosphatase and could therefore be identified in vitro after dissociation of the retina. We performed single-cell RT-PCR on the isolated cells and showed that (1) DA cells contained the messages for 1, 3, 4, 1, 3, 1, 2_S, and 2_L subunits; (2) this transcript repertory did not change on dissociation of the retina and throughout the time required for cell harvesting; and (3) all DA cells contained the entire transcript repertory. Immunocytochemistry with subunit-specific antibodies showed that all subunits were expressed and appeared homogeneously distributed throughout the cell membrane at a low concentration. In addition, with the exception of 4, the subunits formed clusters at the surface of the dendrites and on the inner pole of the cell body. Because of their size, shape, and topographic coincidence with GABAergic endings, the clusters were interpreted as postsynaptic active zones containing GABA_A receptors. The composition of the synaptic receptors was not uniform: clusters distributed throughout the dendritic tree contained 3, 3, and, less frequently, 1 subunits, whereas clusters containing the 1 subunit were confined to large dendrites. Therefore, DA cells possess at least two types of GABA_A receptors localized in different synapses. Furthermore, they exhibit multiple extrasynaptic GABA_A receptors.

Key words: GABA_A receptors; dopamine; retina; amacrine cell; single-cell RT-PCR; immunocytochemistry

---

Copyright © 1999 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/99/19187812-11$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Hirasawa, M. Puopolo, and E. Raviola Extrasynaptic Release of GABA by Retinal Dopaminergic Neurons J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2009; 102(1): 146 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. K. Archibald, M. P. Clarke, U. P. Mosimann, and D. J. Burn The retina in Parkinson's disease Brain, May 1, 2009; 132(5): 1128 - 1145. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Bailey, M. A. Ravier, and G. A. Rutter Glucose-Dependent Regulation of {gamma}-Aminobutyric Acid (GABAA) Receptor Expression in Mouse Pancreatic Islet {alpha}-Cells Diabetes, February 1, 2007; 56(2): 320 - 327. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D.-Q. Zhang, T.-R. Zhou, and D. G. McMahon Functional Heterogeneity of Retinal Dopaminergic Neurons Underlying Their Multiple Roles in Vision J. Neurosci., January 17, 2007; 27(3): 692 - 699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G.-X. Ruan, D.-Q. Zhang, T. Zhou, S. Yamazaki, and D. G. McMahon Circadian organization of the mammalian retina PNAS, June 20, 2006; 103(25): 9703 - 9708. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. O. Wadiche, D. A. Bromberg, A. L. Bensen, and G. L. Westbrook GABAergic Signaling to Newborn Neurons in Dentate Gyrus J Neurophysiol, December 1, 2005; 94(6): 4528 - 4532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Gustincich, M. Contini, M. Gariboldi, M. Puopolo, K. Kadota, H. Bono, J. LeMieux, P. Walsh, P. Carninci, Y. Hayashizaki, et al. Gene discovery in genetically labeled single dopaminergic neurons of the retina PNAS, April 6, 2004; 101(14): 5069 - 5074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Contini and E. Raviola GABAergic synapses made by a retinal dopaminergic neuron PNAS, February 4, 2003; 100(3): 1358 - 1363. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Frech, J. Perez-Leon, H. Wassle, and K. H. Backus Characterization of the Spontaneous Synaptic Activity of Amacrine Cells in the Mouse Retina J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2001; 86(4): 1632 - 1643. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Feigenspan, S. Gustincich, and E. Raviola Pharmacology of GABAA Receptors of Retinal Dopaminergic Neurons J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2000; 84(4): 1697 - 1707. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help