Abstract

The responses of retinal neurons to light stimulation reflect the interplay between intrinsic cellular properties and the pattern and strength of synaptic inputs. Plasticity at the synaptic level enables the retina to respond continuously under wide variations in ambient light conditions. The proposed research is aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which two forms of excitatory synaptic transmission in the retina, gap junctions and glutamatergic receptors, are modulated by the neuromodulators DA and NO. The experimental approach combines electrophysiological, biochemical, and molecular techniques to study horizontal cell plasticity at the molecular, cellular, and network levels. Results of the proposed studies should provide new insights and information concerning the molecular and cellular mechanisms of network adaptation, which shape neuronal responses under changing stimulus conditions.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01EY009256-09
Application #
2911467
Study Section
Visual Sciences C Study Section (VISC)
Project Start
1991-08-01
Project End
2003-07-30
Budget Start
1999-08-01
Budget End
2000-07-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Kentucky
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
832127323
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
Zip Code
40506

  Publications

Vuong, H E; Pérez de Sevilla Müller, L; Hardi, C N et al. (2015) Heterogeneous transgene expression in the retinas of the TH-RFP, TH-Cre, TH-BAC-Cre and DAT-Cre mouse lines. Neuroscience 307:319-37
Sun, Ziyi; Risner, Michael L; van Asselt, Jorrit B et al. (2012) Physiological and molecular characterization of connexin hemichannels in zebrafish retinal horizontal cells. J Neurophysiol 107:2624-32
Zhang, Dao-Qi; Belenky, Michael A; Sollars, Patricia J et al. (2012) Melanopsin mediates retrograde visual signaling in the retina. PLoS One 7:e42647
Jackson, Chad R; Ruan, Guo-Xiang; Aseem, Fazila et al. (2012) Retinal dopamine mediates multiple dimensions of light-adapted vision. J Neurosci 32:9359-68
Klaassen, Lauw J; Sun, Ziyi; Steijaert, Marvin N et al. (2011) Synaptic transmission from horizontal cells to cones is impaired by loss of connexin hemichannels. PLoS Biol 9:e1001107
Frazao, Renata; McMahon, Douglas G; Schunack, Walter et al. (2011) Histamine elevates free intracellular calcium in mouse retinal dopaminergic cells via H1-receptors. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 52:3083-8
Sun, Ziyi; Zhang, Dao-Qi; McMahon, Douglas G (2009) Zinc modulation of hemi-gap-junction channel currents in retinal horizontal cells. J Neurophysiol 101:1774-80
Zhang, Dao-Qi; Zhou, Tongrong; Ruan, Guo-Xiang et al. (2005) Circadian rhythm of Period1 clock gene expression in NOS amacrine cells of the mouse retina. Brain Res 1050:101-9
Zhang, Dao-Qi; Ribelayga, Christophe; Mangel, Stuart C et al. (2002) Suppression by zinc of AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in the retina. J Neurophysiol 88:1245-51
Zhang, D Q; McMahon, D G (2001) Gating of retinal horizontal cell hemi gap junction channels by voltage, Ca2+, and retinoic acid. Mol Vis 7:247-52

Showing the most recent 10 out of 11 publications