Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 30, 2026
Immunohistochemical and Calcium Imaging Methods in Wholemount Rat Retina
Published on: October 13, 2014
Immunocytochemical localization of the calcium-binding proteins calbindin D28K, calretinin, and parvalbumin in bat
Hang-Gu Kim1, Ya-Nan Gu1, Kyoung-Pil Lee1
1Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, College of Natural Sciences, and Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
Abstract:
It is a common misconception that bats are blind, and various studies have suggested that bats have visual abilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytoarchitecture of calbindin D28K (CB)-, calretinin (CR)-, and parvalbumin (PV)-immunoreactive (IR) neurons in the bat visual cortex using immunocytochemistry. The highest density of CB- and PV-IR neurons was located in layer IV of the visual cortex. The majority of CB- and PV-IR neurons were characterized by a stellate or round/oval shape. CR-IR neurons were predominantly located in layers II/III, and the cells were principally round/oval in shape. Two-color immunofluorescence revealed that 65.96%, 24.24%, and 77.00% of the CB-, CR-, and PV-IR neurons, respectively, contained gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). We observed calcium-binding protein (CBP)-IR neurons in specific layers of the bat visual cortex and in specific cell types. Many of the CBP-IR neurons were GABAergic interneurons. These data provide useful clues to aid in understanding the functional aspects of the bat visual system.
