Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina
Published on: January 16, 2024
Changes in localization of amino acids in the detached cat retina
Mikio Sasoh1, Ning Ma, Yoshikazu Ito
1Department of Ophthalmology, Mie University School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. sasoh@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Purpose:
To investigate the distribution of amino acids (glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, GABA, glycine) in detached retinas with minimum postmortem artifact and to clarify the relation between amino acid distribution and histopathological change in the outer portion of detached retinas.
Methods:
Unilateral retinal detachment was produced in cats by injecting 0.25% sodium hyaluronate into the subretinal space using a glass micropipet. The eyes were fixed by perfusion for 10 min, 1, 3, 6 and 24 h, 2, 3 and 7 days after detachment and then examined under conventional light- and electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry.
Results:
For glutamate, aspartate and glutamine, the inner segments and perikarya of the photoreceptor cells, which were not immunopositive in the normal retinas, showed various degrees of immunoreactivity immediately after retinal detachment. Photoreceptor cells with the strong immunoreactivity developed necrosis. The staining pattern of GABA and glycine scarcely changed during the course of retinal detachment.
Conclusions:
Excess intracellular glutamate, aspartate and glutamine in photoreceptor cells may cause a part of neuronal death after retinal detachment.
