title: Postsynaptic Plasticity Triggered by Ca²⁺-Permeable AMPA Receptor Activation in Retinal Amacrine Cells.
abstract: Amacrine cells are thought to be a major locus for mechanisms of light adaptation and contrast enhancement in the retina. However, the potential for plasticity in their AMPA receptor currents remains largely unknown. Using paired patch-clamp recordings between bipolar cell terminals and amacrine cells, we have simultaneously measured presynaptic membrane capacitance changes and EPSCs. Repetitive bipolar cell depolarizations, designed to maintain the same amount of exocytosis, nevertheless significantly potentiated evoked EPSCs in a subpopulation of amacrine cells. Likewise, repetitive iontophoresis (or puffs) of glutamate (or AMPA) onto the dendrites of amacrine cells also significantly potentiated evoked currents and [Ca(2+)]i rises. However, strong postsynaptic Ca(2+) buffering with BAPTA abolished the potentiation and selective antagonists of Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptors also blocked the potentiation of AMPA-mediated currents. Together these results suggest that Ca(2+) influx via Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptors can elicit a rapid form of postsynaptic plasticity in a subgroup of amacrine cell dendrites.
authors.affiliation: The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Mean-Hwan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. Electronic address: vongersd@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Gersdorff
mesh_terms: D000218:Adamantane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D025042:Amacrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006054:Goldfish; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000819:agonists* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D051245:Retinal Bipolar Cells / Q000502:physiology; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C110702:IEM 1460; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; C025603:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; D000218:Adamantane; D002118:Calcium