Distribution and development of P2Y1-purinoceptors in the mouse retina

J Mol Histol. 2013 Dec;44(6):639-44. doi: 10.1007/s10735-013-9525-4. Epub 2013 Aug 2.

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that ATP acts on purinergic receptors and mediates synaptic transmission in the retina. In a previous study, we raised the possibility that P2X-purinoceptors, presumably P2X(2)-purinoceptors in OFF-cholinergic amacrine cells, play a key role in the formation of OFF pathway-specific modulation. In this study, we examined whether the P2Y(1)-purinoceptors can function in cholinergic amacrine cells in the mouse retina since cholinergic amacrine cells in the rat retina express P2Y(1)-purinoceptors. P2Y(1)-purinoceptors were shown to be expressed in dendrites of both ON- and OFF-cholinergic amacrine cells in adults. At postnatal day 7, there was immunoreactivity for P2Y(1)-purinoceptors in the soma of cholinergic amacrine cells. At postnatal day 14, weak immunoreactivity for P2Y(1)-purinoceptors was detected in the dendrites but not in the soma of cholinergic amacrine cells. At postnatal day 21, strong immunoreactivity for P2Y(1)-purinoceptors was detected in dendrites of cholinergic amacrine cells. The expression pattern of P2Y(1)-purinoceptors was not affected by visual experience. We concluded that P2Y(1)-purinoceptors are not involved in the OFF-pathway-specific signal transmission in cholinergic amacrine cells of the mouse retina.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amacrine Cells / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cholinergic Neurons / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Protein Transport
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1 / metabolism*
  • Retina / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Synaptic Transmission

Substances

  • Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1