RETINAL NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND SYNAPTIC CIRCUITRY

这个项目的长期目标是确定神经化学物质如何 视网膜的回路有助于其处理视觉的功能 信息。将把注意力集中在神经元的识别上。 利用特定传递体或其组合的亚种群 发射机.特定细胞特有特征的说明 识别细胞的突触输入的类型和特征。 具体目标包括：(1)使用免疫细胞化学技术 描述神经递质的内容和突触关系 猫视网膜中的神经元亚群。抗血清 神经递质(甘氨酸、GABA、谷氨酸、P物质等 神经肽)或其合成酶(胆碱乙酰转移酶， 酪氨酸羟化酶)将被用来定位使用这些 发射机。发射机与其他发射机的共址， 调节剂和标记酶将用于区分多个细胞 标签为单一变送器的类型。研究将在以下地点进行 光学和电子显微镜水平，以确定 标记神经元的层状分布和突触关系。 将用受体抗血清探索标记的分布。 神经元。将使用受体抗血清来探索两者之间的关系 突触前递质和突触后受体之间的关系 分发。(2)突触小泡形态和蛋白质的多样性 内容将用于区分多个神经元亚群 利用单一的神经递质。(3)识别的突触输入 神经元将通过使用细胞内填充来表征 结合包埋后免疫细胞化学鉴定 发射机输入。将使用序列重建来关联这一点 感受性细胞的树突分支模式的输入。(4) 神经节细胞的神经递质含量将在 视网膜及上丘和外侧的投射部位 膝状核。神经节细胞识别将通过以下方式确保 逆行或顺行标记技术。(5)数量上 技术将被用来估计发射器的相对量 不同的视网膜亚群和不同刺激的影响 在这些层面上的条件。神经化学和突触的阐明 本申请中提出的关系不仅有助于 对视网膜功能的了解，但将作为 整个中枢神经系统的神经化学相互作用。

The long-term goal of this project is to determine how the neurochemical circuitry of the retina contributes to its function of processing visual information. Attention will be directed to the identification of neuronal subpopulations which utilize specific transmitters or combinations of transmitters; elucidation of features which are unique to specific cell types, and characterization of synaptic input to identified cells. Specific aims include: (1) Use of immunocytochemical techniques to characterize the transmitter content and synaptic relationships of subpopulations of neurons in the cat retina. Antisera against neurotransmitters (glycine, GABA, glutamate, substance P and other neuropeptides) or their synthetic enzymes (choline acetyltransferase, tyrosine hydroxylase) will be used to localize the neurons which use these transmitters. Colocalizations of transmitters with other transmitters, modulators and marker enzymes will used to distinguish among multiple cell types which label for a single transmitter. Studies will be conducted at both light and electron microscopic levels in order to determine the laminar distribution nd synaptic relationships of labeled neurons. Receptor antisera will be used to explore the distribution of labeled neurons. Receptor antisera will be used to explore the relationships between presynaptic transmitter content and postsynaptic receptor distribution. (2) Diversity in synaptic vesicle morphology and protein content will be used to distinguish among multiple neuronal subpopulations utilizing a single neurotransmitter. (3) The synaptic input to identified neurons will be characterized through the use of intracellular filling in combination with postembedding immunocytochemical identification of transmitter input. Serial reconstructions will be used to relate this input to the dendritic branching patterns of receptive cells. (4) The neurotransmitter content of ganglion cells will be examined both within the retina and at projection sites in the superior colliculus and lateral geniculate nucleus. Ganglion cell identification will be assured by retrograde or anterograde labeling techniques. (5) Quantitative techniques will be used to estimate the relative amounts of transmitter in various retinal subpopulations and the effects of varying stimulus conditions on these levels. The elucidation of neurochemical and synaptic relationships as proposed in this application will contribute not only to an understanding of retinal function but will serve as a model for neurochemical interactions throughout the central nervous system.