Discrete distribution of cholinergic and vasoactive intestinal polypeptidergic amacrine cells in the rat retina.
The distribution and fine structure of cholinergic amacrine cells of the rat retina were observed using monoclonal anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) antibody. The ChAT-immunoreactive cholinergic cells were located in the innermost zone of the inner nuclear layer and in the outer zone of the ganglion cell layer, and they formed two distinct bands in the inner plexiform layer. The ChAT-immunoreactive materials were diffusely localized throughout the cytoplasm except for the nucleus, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus and the interior of the endoplasmic reticulum and vesicular components. The sequential immunostaining of one and the same section with both the ChAT antibody and the antiserum against vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) revealed clearly that the cholinergic amacrine cells are distinct from the VIP-immunoreactive amacrine cells.
D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase