The GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibitory pathway increases the correlated activities in retinal ganglion cells.
In the present study, the correlated activities of adjacent ganglion cells of transient subtype in response to full-field white light stimulation were investigated in the chicken retina. Pharmacological studies and cross-correlation analysis demonstrated that application of the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline (BIC) significantly down-regulated the correlation strength while increasing the firing activities. Meanwhile, application of the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol (MUS) potentiated the correlated activities while decreasing the firing rates. However, application of the GABA(C) receptor antagonist (1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)methylphosphinic acid (TPMPA) did not have a consistent influence on either the firing rates or the correlation strength. These results suggest that in the chicken retina, correlated activities among neighborhood transient ganglion cells can be increased while firing activities are reduced with the activation of GABA(A) receptors. The GABA(A)-receptor-mediated inhibitory pathway may be critical for improving the efficiency of visual information transmission.
Liu
Xue
X
School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Zhang
Ying-Ying
YY
Gong
Hai-Qing
HQ
Liang
Pei-Ji
PJ
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D009118:Muscimol / Q000494:pharmacology; D010721:Phosphinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
C101879:(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)methylphosphinic acid; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D010721:Phosphinic Acids; D011725:Pyridines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D009118:Muscimol; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D001640:Bicuculline