The retina as a model neural tissue: comparative studies on retinal and brain aminergic mechanisms

A body of morphological, metabolic and electrophysiological data indicate that the isolated retina maintains for several hours nearly all of its physiological activity (including responsiveness to light), and therefore can be successfully used for in vitro studies. In this paper, results of comparative investigation of the dopaminergic, serotoninergic and histaminergic mechanisms in the rabbit retina and brain, performed in the author's laboratory, are presented and discussed. The existence of many similarities in the analyzed aminergic mechanisms between both tissues supports the notion that the isolated retina may serve as an in vitro model tissue for study of the central nervous system.