title: Cx36 expression in the AII-mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina.
abstract: Gap junctions are composed of connexin 36 (Cx36) and play a critical role in the rod photoreceptor signaling pathways of the vertebrate retina. Despite the fact that their connection and modulation in various rod pathways have been extensively studied in adult animals, little is known about the contribution and regulation of gap junctions to the development of the AII amacrine cell (AC)-mediated rod pathway. Using immunohistochemistry and microinjection, this study demonstrates a steady increase in relative Cx36 protein expression in both plexiform layers of the rabbit retina at around the time of eye opening. However, immediately after eye opening, most Cx36 immunoreactive AII ACs show no gap junction coupling pattern to neighboring cells and it is not until the third postnatal week that AII cells begin to exhibit an adult-like tracer-coupling pattern. Moreover, studies using dark-rearing and AMPA receptor blockade during postnatal development both revealed that relative levels of Cx36 immunoreactivity in AII ACs were increased when neural activity was inhibited. Our findings suggest that Cx36 expression in the AII-mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Ya
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.|Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chuan-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chiao
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017630:Connexins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011817:Rabbits; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
chemical_list: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D017630:Connexins; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D000097004:Gap Junction delta-2 Protein
keywords: AII amacrine cell; connexin 36; dark-rearing; rod pathway; tracer coupling