title: Depolarization elicits, while hyperpolarization blocks uptake of endogenous glutamate by retinal horizontal cells of the turtle.
abstract: We have employed an immunoreaction against glutamate to qualitatively demonstrate varying levels of glutamate in retinal horizontal cells of the turtle. Glutamate-like immunoreactivity (GLI) in horizontal cells could be demonstrated after glutamate decarboxylase was inhibited by aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA) and its degradation to GABA was blocked. Depolarization of horizontal cells by kainic acid (KA) induces strong glutamate immunoreactivity in these cells, whereas hyperpolarization by 2,3-cis piperidine dicarboxylate (PDA) abolishes glutamate-like immunoreactivity in horizontal cells. When glutamate release from cones and bipolar cells is blocked in the absence of calcium, or when glutamate uptake is blocked by DL-threo beta-hydroxy aspartate, KA/AOAA treatment of the retina does not induce GLI in horizontal cells. Our data show that horizontal cells are capable of taking up glutamate from the endogenous retinal pool in an activity dependent way. Our interpretation of these findings is that retinal horizontal cells are capable of regulating glutamate levels in the extracellular space of the cone pedicle complex by an activity-dependent uptake system. We suggest that inhibition of glutamate uptake upon hyperpolarization rather than inhibition of GABA release may evoke the antagonistic surround response of retinal bipolar cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schütte
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schlemermeyer
mesh_terms: D000625:Aminooxyacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014179:Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014426:Turtles; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D014179:Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D000625:Aminooxyacetic Acid; C011274:3-hydroxyaspartic acid; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; C029262:2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; D007608:Kainic Acid; D002118:Calcium