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Updated: Oct 5, 2026

Immunohistochemical and Calcium Imaging Methods in Wholemount Rat Retina
Published on: October 13, 2014
Identification of purinergic receptors in retinal ganglion cells
T H Wheeler-Schilling1, K Marquordt, K Kohler
1Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuroophthalmology, Division of Experimental Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 11, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany. thomas.wheeler-schilling@uni-tuebingen.de
Abstract:
P2X receptors are ligand-gated ion channels activated by adenosine triphosphate and expressed in a broad variety of tissues. The present study demonstrates the expression of various types of purinergic P2X receptors in identified retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) of the adult rat retina. Single-cell reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (SC-RT-PCR) resulted in a positive amplification signal for all P2X receptor subunit mRNAs examined (P2X(3-5), P2X(7)). Immunohistochemistry with P2X(3,4) receptor subunit-specific antibodies showed a labelling of neurons in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer. Our data suggest that extracellular ATP acts directly on RGCs via several types of P2X receptors and may provide neuromodulatory influences on information processing in the retina.
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