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Immunocytochemical localization of glycine and glycine receptors in the retina of the frog Rana ridibunda

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Abstract

Glycine and glycine receptors (GlyRs) were analyzed immunocytochemically in the retina of the frog Rana ridibunda. Glycine was localized to somata of glycinergic amacrine and interplexiform cells. Approximately 50% of the cells in the amacrine cell layer were found to be glycinergic. GlyRs of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) were localized to brightly fluorescent puncta, probably representing postsynaptic clusters of GlyRs. GlyR clusters were not evenly distributed across the IPL but showed patterns of stratification specific for the various GlyR subunits. Clusters containing the α1 subunit formed four narrow strata within the IPL. Clusters containing the α3 subunit were more abundant and covered the whole IPL, with a band of higher density in stratum 3. Clusters of GlyRs were also observed in the outer plexiform layer. Thus, several isoforms of synaptic GlyRs involved with different synapses and inhibitory circuits are present in the frog retina.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to F. Boij for technical assistance, to A. Staab for performing the Western blots, and to I. Odenthal for typing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Lily Vitanova

  2. Department of Neuroanatomy, Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Deutschordenstrasse 46, 60528, Frankfurt/Main, Germany

    Silke Haverkamp & Heinz Wässle

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  1. Lily Vitanova
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  2. Silke Haverkamp
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  3. Heinz Wässle
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Correspondence to Heinz Wässle.

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This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB269/B4

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Vitanova, L., Haverkamp, S. & Wässle, H. Immunocytochemical localization of glycine and glycine receptors in the retina of the frog Rana ridibunda . Cell Tissue Res 317, 227–235 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-004-0914-6

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