Cat retinal ganglion cells show transient responses to acetylcholine and sustained responses to L-glutamate.
The neuropharmacological basis for the different receptive field properties of cat retinal ganglion cells was investigated using whole cell voltage-clamp recordings from acutely dissociated adult tissue. Subclasses of physiologically characterised ganglion cells were determined on the basis of (i) their soma diameters and (ii) their projection to central visual nuclei (identified by microinjection of fluorescent dyes into the lateral geniculate and/or superior colliculus). The sensitivities of all categories of ganglion cells, prepared from peripheral retina were found to be similar for gamma-amino butyric acid, glycine, acetylcholine and glutamate. The kinetics of desensitisation differed among receptor subtypes, revealing possible physiologically significant molecular specialisations that could be involved in shaping synaptic transmission.
Department of Information Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.
J E
JE
Downing
A
A
Kaneko
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000109:Acetylcholine; D005998:Glycine