Somatostatin and somatostatin subtype 2A expression in the mammalian retina

This review discusses the expression and cellular localization of the neuropeptide somatostatin (SRIF) and one of the SRIF subtype (sst) receptors, sst(2A) in the mammalian retina. SRIF immunoreactivity is predominantly localized to a sparse population of amacrine and displaced amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer in several mammalian retinas including the rat, rabbit, cat, and primate. These cells, characterized by multiple processes, form a sparse network in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) in all retinal regions. Very few processes are also in the outer plexiform layer. In contrast to the predominant distribution of SRIF processes to the IPL, there is a widespread distribution of sst(2A) immunoreactivity to both the inner and outer retina in all mammalian retinas studied to date. In rabbit retina, sst(2A) immunoreactivity is predominant in rod bipolar cells and in sparse wide-field amacrine cells. In the rat retina, sst(2A) immunoreactivity is localized to several neuronal cell types-cone photoreceptors, horizontal cells, rod and cone bipolar cells, and amacrine cells. Reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis found that sst(2A) mRNA is expressed in the rat retina, while sst(2B) mRNA is not detected. Finally, in the primate retina sst(2) immunoreactivity is predominant in cone photoreceptors, with additional immunostained cell bodies and processes in the inner retina. These findings indicate that SRIF may modulate several neuronal cell types in the retina, and that it has a broad influence on both scotopic and photopic visual pathways.