Dopaminergic modulation of tracer coupling in a ganglion-amacrine cell network

Many retinal ganglion cells are coupled via gap junctions with neighboring amacrine cells and ganglion cells. We investigated the extent and dynamics of coupling in one such network, the OFF alpha ganglion cell of rabbit retina and its associated amacrine cells. We also observed the relative spread of Neurobiotin injected into a ganglion cell in the presence of modulators of gap junctional permeability. We found that gap junctions between amacrine cells were closed via stimulation of a D(1) dopamine receptor, while the gap junctions between ganglion cells were closed via stimulation of a D(2) dopamine receptor. The pairs of hemichannels making up the heterologous gap junctions between the ganglion and amacrine cells were modulated independently, so that elevations of cAMP in the ganglion cell open the ganglion cell hemichannels, while elevations of cAMP in the amacrine cell close its hemichannels. We also measured endogenous dopamine release from an eyecup preparation and found a basal release from the dark-adapted retina of approximately 2 pmol/min during the day. Maximal stimulation with light increased the rate of dopamine release from rabbit retina by 66%. The results suggest that coupling between members of the OFF alpha ganglion cell/amacrine cell network is differentially modulated with changing levels of dopamine.