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Related Concept Videos

The Retina01:32

The Retina

The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.
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Assessment of Vascular Regeneration in the CNS Using the Mouse Retina
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Published on: June 23, 2014

Neurturin-mediated ret activation is required for retinal function.

Milam A Brantley1, Sanjay Jain, Emily E Barr

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. brantley@vision.wustl.edu

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|April 18, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Ret signaling and neurturin (NRTN) are crucial for normal retinal activity and cell structure. Aberrant Ret function or NRTN deficiency significantly impairs visual responses and causes retinal abnormalities.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Retinal Biology
  • Molecular Signaling

Background:

  • Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs) signal through GDNF family receptors (GFRalphas) and the Ret receptor tyrosine kinase.
  • Ret signaling plays a role in neuronal development and function, but its specific role in retinal activity requires further characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Ret signaling in retinal activity using mouse models.
  • To identify the specific GFLs and cell types involved in Ret-mediated retinal function.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Ret hypomorphic and Ret conditional mice for electroretinography to assess retinal function.
  • Examined GFL-deficient mice to determine the contribution of individual ligands.
  • Analyzed retinal expression of GFRalpha1, GFRalpha2, and Ret using fluorescence reporter mice.
  • Performed detailed morphologic analyses of retinas from mutant mice.

Main Results:

  • Aberrant Ret function led to significantly diminished scotopic and photopic retinal responses.
  • Only neurturin (NRTN) deficiency, among the GFLs, resulted in reduced retinal activity.
  • Robust GFRalpha1 and Ret expression was observed in horizontal, amacrine, and ganglion cells, with GFRalpha2 in a subset of amacrine and ganglion cells.
  • Photoreceptors and Müller cells did not express GFRalpha1, GFRalpha2, or Ret.
  • Ret and NRTN deficiency caused structural abnormalities, including reduced horizontal cell dendrites/axons and mislocalized synaptic complexes.

Conclusions:

  • Ret signaling is essential for normal retinal function, particularly impacting scotopic and photopic responses.
  • Neurturin (NRTN) is a key GFL involved in maintaining retinal activity and structure.
  • Horizontal, amacrine, and ganglion cells are primary targets of NRTN/Ret signaling in the retina.
  • Anatomic abnormalities in Ret and NRTN mutant retinas provide a basis for observed functional deficits.