ON and OFF starburst amacrine cells are controlled by distinct cholinergic pathways
- PMID: 38836782
- PMCID: PMC11153316
- DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202413550
ON and OFF starburst amacrine cells are controlled by distinct cholinergic pathways
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling in the retina is mediated by acetylcholine (ACh) released from starburst amacrine cells (SACs), which are key neurons for motion detection. SACs comprise ON and OFF subtypes, which morphologically show mirror symmetry to each other. Although many physiological studies on SACs have targeted ON cells only, the synaptic computation of ON and OFF SACs is assumed to be similar. Recent studies demonstrated that gene expression patterns and receptor types differed between ON and OFF SACs, suggesting differences in their functions. Here, we compared cholinergic signaling pathways between ON and OFF SACs in the mouse retina using the patch clamp technique. The application of ACh increased GABAergic feedback, observed as postsynaptic currents to SACs, in both ON and OFF SACs; however, the mode of GABAergic feedback differed. Nicotinic receptors mediated GABAergic feedback in both ON and OFF SACs, while muscarinic receptors mediated GABAergic feedback in ON SACs only in adults. Neither tetrodotoxin, which blocked action potentials, nor LY354740, which blocked neurotransmitter release from SACs, eliminated ACh-induced GABAergic feedback in SACs. These results suggest that ACh-induced GABAergic feedback in ON and OFF SACs is regulated by different feedback mechanisms in adults and mediated by non-spiking amacrine cells other than SACs.
© 2024 Gangi et al.
Conflict of interest statement
Disclosures: The authors declare no competing interests exist.
Similar articles
-
Spontaneous Depolarization-Induced Action Potentials of ON-Starburst Amacrine Cells during Cholinergic and Glutamatergic Retinal Waves.Cells. 2020 Dec 1;9(12):2574. doi: 10.3390/cells9122574. Cells. 2020. PMID: 33271919 Free PMC article.
-
Cholinergic excitation complements glutamate in coding visual information in retinal ganglion cells.J Physiol. 2018 Aug;596(16):3709-3724. doi: 10.1113/JP275073. Epub 2018 Jun 21. J Physiol. 2018. PMID: 29758086 Free PMC article.
-
Development of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in transitory cholinergic neurons, starburst amacrine cells, and GABAergic amacrine cells of rabbit retina, with implications for previsual and visual development of retinal ganglion cells.Vis Neurosci. 2010 Mar;27(1-2):19-42. doi: 10.1017/S0952523810000052. Epub 2010 Apr 15. Vis Neurosci. 2010. PMID: 20392300
-
Biophysical mechanisms and essential topography of directionally selective subunits in rabbit's retina.J Integr Neurosci. 2005 Sep;4(3):341-61. doi: 10.1142/s0219635205000860. J Integr Neurosci. 2005. PMID: 16178062 Review.
-
The many roles of starburst amacrine cells.Trends Neurosci. 2005 Aug;28(8):395-6. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2005.06.002. Trends Neurosci. 2005. PMID: 15979167 Review.
References
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Miscellaneous