title: Physiological properties of retinal Muller glial cells from the cynomolgus monkey, Macaca fascicularis--a comparison to human Muller cells.
abstract: Retinae from rabbits and laboratory rodents are often used as 'models' of the human retina, although there are anatomical differences. To test whether monkey eyes provide a better model, a physiological study of Muller glial cells was performed comparing isolated cells and retinal wholemounts from the cynomolgus monkey, Macaca fascicularis and from man. The membrane conductance of Muller cells from both species was dominated by inward and outward K(+) currents. Cells displayed glutamate uptake currents and responded to nucleotides by intracellular Ca(2+) increases. However, there were also species differences, such as a lack of GABA(A) receptors and of Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) currents in monkey cells. Thus, the use of Muller cells from cynomolgus monkeys may be advantageous for investigating a few specific properties; in general, monkey cells are no more similar to human cells than those from standard laboratory animals.
authors.affiliation: Paul-Flechsig-Institut für Hirnforschung, Universität Leipzig, Jahnallee 59, D-04109 Leipzig, Germany. pant@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pannicke
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biedermann
authors.forename: Ortrud
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uckermann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weick
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bringmann
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Habermann
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Buse
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008252:Macaca fascicularis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008875:Middle Aged; D023421:Models, Animal; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D002118:Calcium