title: Characterization of voltage-gated ionic channels in cholinergic amacrine cells in the mouse retina.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that cholinergic amacrine cells possess unique membrane properties. However, voltage-gated ionic channels in cholinergic amacrine cells have not been characterized systematically. In this study, using electrophysiological and immunohistochemical techniques, we examined voltage-gated ionic channels in a transgenic mouse line the cholinergic amacrine cells of which were selectively labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Voltage-gated K(+) currents contained a 4-aminopyridine-sensitive current (A current) and a tetraethylammonium-sensitive current (delayed rectifier K(+) current). Voltage-gated Ca(2+) currents contained a omega-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive component (N-type) and a omega-Aga IVA-sensitive component (P/Q-type). Tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na(+) currents and dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca(2+) currents (L-type) were not observed. Immunoreactivity for the Na channel subunit (Pan Nav), the K channel subunits (the A-current subunits [Kv. 3.3 and Kv 3.4]) and the Ca channel subunits (alpha1(A) [P/Q-type], alpha1(B) [N-type] and alpha1(C) [L-type]) was detected in the membrane fraction of the mouse retina by Western blot analysis. Immunoreactivity for the Kv. 3.3, Kv 3.4, alpha1(A) [P/Q-type], and alpha1(B) [N-type] was colocalized with the GFP signals. Immunoreactivity for alpha1(C) [L-type] was not colocalized with the GFP signals. Immunoreactivity for Pan Nav did not exist on the membrane surface of the GFP-positive cells. Our findings indicate that signal propagation in cholinergic amacrine cells is mediated by a combination of two types of voltage-gated K(+) currents (the A current and the delayed rectifier K(+) current) and two types of voltage-gated Ca(2+) currents (the P/Q-type and the N-type) in the mouse retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. mkaneda@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneda
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishima
authors.forename: Yasuhide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shigematsu
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimoda
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D025042:Amacrine Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology*; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000109:Acetylcholine