title: Expression of pannexin family of proteins in the retina.
abstract: Expression of the Panx1 and Panx2 members of the pannexin family of gap junction proteins was studied in the retina by in situ hybridization and qRT-PCR. Both pannexins showed robust expression across the retina with predominant accumulation in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In concordance, immunohistochemical analysis showed accumulation of the Panx1 protein in RGCs, amacrine, horizontal cells and their processes. Two Panx1 isoforms were detected: a ubiquitously expressed 58 kDa protein, and a 43 kDa isoform that specifically accumulated in the retina and brain. Our results indicated that Panx1 and Panx2 are abundantly expressed in the retina, and may therefore contribute to the electrical and metabolic coupling, or to signaling between retinal neurons via the secondary messengers.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine,Miami, FL 33136, USA.
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dvoriantchikova
authors.forename: Dmitry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Panchin
authors.forename: Valery I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Shestopalov
mesh_terms: D025042:Amacrine Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017630:Connexins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C492764:PANX1 protein, human; C492765:PANX2 protein, human; C503631:Panx1 protein, mouse; D020033:Protein Isoforms