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Single-cell RNA-Seq of Defined Subsets of Retinal Ganglion Cells
Published on: May 22, 2017
Ganglion cells from chick retina display multiple functional nAChR subtypes
M Lecchi1, A Marguerat, A Ionescu
1Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CH-1211, CMU 1, rue M. Servet, Geneva 4, Switzerland.
Abstract:
We have examined the properties of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in embryonic chick retinal ganglion cells. Ganglion cells, identified according to morphological and physiological criteria, displayed spontaneous or induced action potentials. In 94/99 cells acetylcholine pulses evoked responses. In current clamp mode, acetylcholine provoked membrane depolarization and triggered action potentials. Under voltage clamp conditions, acetylcholine evoked inward currents that were readily blocked by d-tubocurarine. Antagonists specific for homomeric (alpha-bungarotoxin) and heteromeric (dihydro-beta-erythroidine) receptors revealed that ganglion cells express multiple functional receptor subtypes. These findings demonstrate that ACh modulates the electrical activity of these cells and is likely to mediate synaptic transmission. The presence of multiple receptor subtypes may contribute to processing and transmission of information in the retina.
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