Figure 9.

Quantitative (immuno-) histochemistry of Müller cells and cone photoreceptor cells. (a) Confocal image of a retinal whole-mount preparation at the level of the OPL. In this layer the outer processes of Müller cells (labeled by antibodies directed to the intermediate filament vimentin, red) and the cone pedicles (labeled by cone-specific fluorescent peanut agglutinin, PNA, green) are visible. Scale bar, 20 μm. The magnified inlet (b) demonstrates a spatial colocalization of both structures. (c) Slice preparation of a retina that shows the endfoot funneling into the Müller cell process that finally forms thin branches enveloping a soma of a cone cell. This cell was identified as a cone because of its PNA-labeled inner segment. Scale bar 20 μm. (Ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), photoreceptor segment layer (PRS).)