Localization of aquaporin-0 immunoreactivity in the rat retina.
Previous RT-PCR experiments revealed the expression of gene transcripts for a variety of aquaporins in the neural retina, including aquaporin-0. We investigated by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting whether the aquaporin-0 protein is expressed in the retina of the rat. In addition to the lens, immunoreactivity for aquaporin-0 was expressed in the neural retina, but was absent in the pigment epithelium, choroidea, and sclera. In the neural retina, aquaporin-0 immunoreactivity was expressed by the nuclei and the synaptic terminals of protein kinase alpha- and beta-expressing bipolar and amacrine cells, and by the nuclei of neuronal cells in the ganglion cell layer. The immunoreactivity for aquaporin-0 did not co-localize with calbindin, a marker of horizontal cells, or with aquaporin-4, the glial water channel. Transient retinal ischemia caused a slight decrease in the retinal content of aquaporin-0, likely by degeneration of protein kinase alpha-expressing bipolar cells. It is concluded that aquaporin-0 may be involved in the regulation of the activity of retinal second order neurons.
Iandiev
Ianors
I
Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany.
Pannicke
Thomas
T
Härtig
Wolfgang
W
Grosche
Jens
J
Wiedemann
Peter
P
Reichenbach
Andreas
A
Bringmann
Andreas
A
D000818:Animals; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D020346:Aquaporins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064026:Calbindins; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D038222:gamma-Crystallins / Q000378:metabolism
D051401:Aquaporin 4; D020346:Aquaporins; D064026:Calbindins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; C030328:aquaporin 0; D038222:gamma-Crystallins