SYNAPTIC MECHANISMS IN THE VERTEBRATE RETINA

我们的研究旨在分析神经递质的作用 脊椎动物中特定突触部位的受体和离子通道 视网膜。 细胞内电生理学，与药物联合 应用程序和单细胞染色程序，将用于研究 视网膜回路 谷氨酸和GABA受体的生理作用 在远端视网膜和近端视网膜的甘氨酸受体将被 探讨了 实验旨在证明受体 亚型介导视网膜中的特定视觉通路。 具体 目的是1）区分和表征OFF上的谷氨酸受体， 双极和水平细胞，2）谷氨酸受体亚型与 具体的离子电导，3）评价GABA受体在 介导水平细胞反馈，4）描述光驱动的效应 细胞外钾离子浓度对水平细胞的调节 偶联，和5）表征甘氨酸受体，并确定是否其他 内源性氨基酸通常激活这些受体。 长期 这项研究的目的是采用药理学技术作为一种 工具，以提供视网膜的突触生理学的描述。 这些信息可以提供一种分析视觉的方法。 信息处理和定位病理生理学的位点， 特别是当其涉及视网膜疾病时。

Our research is directed at analysing the role of neurotransmitter receptors and ionic channels at particular synaptic sites in the vertebrate retina. Intracellular electrophysiology, in combination with drug application and single cell staining procedures, will be utilized to study retinal circuitry. The physiological roles of glutamate and GABA receptors in the distal retina and glycine receptors in the proximal retina will be explored. Experiments will be directed at demonstrating that receptor subtypes mediate particular visual pathways in the retina. The specific aims are to 1) distinguish and characterize the glutamate receptors on OFF bipolar and horizontal cells, 2) correlate glutamate receptor subtypes with particular ionic conductances, 3) evaluate the role of GABA receptors in mediating horizontal cell feedback, 4) describe the effects of light driven modulation of extracellular potassium concentrations on horizontal cell coupling, and 5) characterize glycine receptors and determine if other endogenous amino acids normally activate these receptors. The long term objective of this research is to employ pharmacological techniques as a tool to provide a description of the synaptic physiology of the retina. This information could provide a methodology for analysing visual information processing and for localizing sites of pathophysiology, particularly as it relates to retinal disease.