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Functional changes in Tg P23H-1 rat retinal responses: differences between ON and OFF pathway transmission to the superior colliculus
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Functional changes in Tg P23H-1 rat retinal responses: differences between ON and OFF pathway transmission to the superior colliculus

James W Fransen, Gobinda Pangeni, Ian S Pyle and Maureen A McCall
Journal of neurophysiology, v 114(4), pp 2368-2375
01 Oct 2015
PMID: 26245318
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/4620140View
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Abstract

Action Potentials Aging - physiology Animals Disease Models, Animal Immunohistochemistry Rats, Transgenic Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate - metabolism Retinal Bipolar Cells - physiology Retinal Ganglion Cells - physiology Retinitis Pigmentosa - physiopathology Superior Colliculi - physiopathology Tissue Culture Techniques Visual Pathways - physiology
The morphological consequences of retinal photoreceptor degeneration are well documented. Much less is known about changes in visual function during degeneration and whether central visual structures directly reflect changes in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function. To address this, we compared changes in visual function of RGCs and cells in the superior colliculus (SC) in transgenic (Tg) P23H-1 rats, a model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and wild-type (WT) rats at postnatal days 35-50 (P35-50) and P300. RGCs were classified on the basis of their responses to light: onset (ON), offset (OFF), or both (ON-OFF). The distribution of ON, OFF, and ON-OFF RGCs is similar between WT and P35 Tg P23H-1 rats. By P300, many Tg P23H-1 RGCs are nonresponsive (NR). At this age, there is a sharp decline in ON and ON-OFF RGCs, and the majority that remain are OFF RGCs. Spontaneous rhythmic activity was observed in many RGCs at P300, but only in OFF or NR RGCs. In the SC, WT and P50 Tg P23H-1 responses are similar. At P300, Tg P23H-1 ON SC responses declined but OFF responses increased. We examined postsynaptic glutamate receptor expression located on the bipolar cells (BC), where the ON and OFF pathways arise. At P150, metabotropic glutamate receptor 6 (mGluR6) expression is lower than in WT, consistent with a decrease in ON RGC responses. GluR4 expression, an ionotropic glutamate receptor associated with OFF BCs, appears similar to that in WT. The loss of ON responses in Tg P23H-1 RGCs and in the SC is conserved and related to reduced mGluR6 signaling.

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Web of Science research areas
Neurosciences
Physiology
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