title: Immunocytochemical analysis of glycogen phosphorylase isozymes in the developing and adult retina of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus).
abstract: Glycogen is the major energy reserve in neural tissues including the retina. A key-enzyme in glycogen metabolism is glycogen phosphorylase (GP) which exists in three differentially regulated isoforms. By applying isozyme-specific antibodies it could be demonstrated that the GP BB (brain), but not the GP MM (muscle) isoform is expressed in the chicken retina in neuronal and glial (Müller) cells. In the embryonic chicken retina, GP showed a development-dependent expression pattern. Double-labeling experiments with cell type-specific antibodies revealed that GP is expressed in various layers of the retina some of which, e.g., the photoreceptor inner segments, are known to be sites of high energy consumption. This suggests important roles of GP BB, and therefore glycogen, in early differentiation, spontaneous wave generation and in formation and stabilization of synapses.
authors.affiliation: Molekularbiologisch-biochemische Prozesstechnik, Biotechnologisch-Biomedizinisches Zentrum, Universität Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rothermel
authors.forename: Winnie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weigel
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer-Guglielmi
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamprecht
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Robitzki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002645:Chickens; D024981:Glycogen Phosphorylase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D024981:Glycogen Phosphorylase