title: The rat retinal ganglion cell in culture: an accessible CNS neurone.
abstract: Retinal ganglion cells are vital for vision, some have intrinsic light sensing properties and in retinal networks display complex computational abilities. Furthermore they are implicated in a very common form of blindness, glaucoma as well some the symptoms of AIDS. Retinal ganglion cells, unlike many neurones of the central nervous system, have a clearly defined physiological role and can be identified in primary cultures with ease. Here we detail the cell culture and electrophysiological methods required to obtain recordings on the voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion currents and channels expressed by these neurones. Information is given on the range of non-ionotropic receptors that are thought to be present on these cells and what role they may have as model systems in the pharmacological and pharmaceutical research environment.
authors.affiliation: Receptors and Signalling Group, Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lilley
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005470:Fluorometry; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008024:Ligands; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects; D018009:Receptors, Glycine / Q000187:drug effects; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000187:drug effects; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D008024:Ligands; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018009:Receptors, Glycine; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058469:Receptors, Purinergic P2X; D015222:Sodium Channels; D002118:Calcium