title: Identification of purinergic receptors in retinal ganglion cells.
abstract: P2X receptors are ligand-gated ion channels activated by adenosine triphosphate and expressed in a broad variety of tissues. The present study demonstrates the expression of various types of purinergic P2X receptors in identified retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) of the adult rat retina. Single-cell reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (SC-RT-PCR) resulted in a positive amplification signal for all P2X receptor subunit mRNAs examined (P2X(3-5), P2X(7)). Immunohistochemistry with P2X(3,4) receptor subunit-specific antibodies showed a labelling of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer. Our data suggest that extracellular ATP acts directly on RGCs via several types of P2X receptors and may provide neuromodulatory influences on information processing in the retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuroophthalmology, Division of Experimental Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 11, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany. thomas.wheeler-schilling@uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wheeler-Schilling
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marquordt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guenther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabs
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D058485:Receptors, Purinergic P2X5; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; C546410:P2rx3 protein, rat; C548228:P2rx4 protein, rat; C546467:P2rx5 protein, rat; C546470:P2rx7 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058477:Receptors, Purinergic P2X3; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D058485:Receptors, Purinergic P2X5; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate