Skip to main content
PMC home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1978 Oct;75(10):5205–5209. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.10.5205

L-aspartate: evidence for a role in cone photoreceptor synaptic transmission in the carp retina.

S M Wu, J E Dowling
PMCID: PMC336294  PMID: 217017

Abstract

A number of putative neurotransmitter substances and their antagonists were applied to the carp retina while intracellular recordings from L-type cone horizontal cells were made. Of all the substances tested, L-aspartate was found to be the most potent agent in depolarizing these horizontal cells in dark-adapted, partially light-adapted, and Co2+-treated retinas. Furthermore, DL-alpha-aminoadipate, an L-aspartate antagonist, blocked the effects of both the endogenous photoreceptor transmitter and exogenously applied L-aspartate on the horizontal cells. The results suggest that L-aspartate and the natural transmitter interact with the same population of postsynaptic receptors in the horizontal cell membrane.

Full text

PDF
5205

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Biscoe T. J., Evans R. H., Francis A. A., Martin M. R., Watkins J. C., Davies J., Dray A. D-alpha-Aminoadipate as a selective antagonist of amino acid-induced and synaptic excitation of mammalian spinal neurones. Nature. 1977 Dec 22;270(5639):743–745. doi: 10.1038/270743a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cervetto L., MacNichol E. F., Jr Inactivation of horizontal cells in turtle retina by glutamate and aspartate. Science. 1972 Nov 17;178(4062):767–768. doi: 10.1126/science.178.4062.767. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cervetto L., Piccolino M. Synaptic transmission between photoreceptors and horizontal cells in the turtle retina. Science. 1974 Feb 1;183(4123):417–419. doi: 10.1126/science.183.4123.417. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Curtis D. R., Duggan A. W., Felix D., Johnston G. A., Teb ecis A. K., Watkins J. C. Excitation of mammalian central neurones by acidic amino acids. Brain Res. 1972 Jun 22;41(2):283–301. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(72)90503-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dacheux R. F., Miller R. F. Photoreceptor-bipolar cell transmission in the perfused retina eyecup of the mudpuppy. Science. 1976 Mar 5;191(4230):963–964. doi: 10.1126/science.175443. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dowling J. E., Ripps H. Adaptation in skate photoreceptors. J Gen Physiol. 1972 Dec;60(6):698–719. doi: 10.1085/jgp.60.6.698. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dowling J. E., Ripps H. Effect of magnesium on horizontal cell activity in the skate retina. Nature. 1973 Mar 9;242(5393):101–103. doi: 10.1038/242101a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dowling J. E., Ripps H. S-potentials in the skate retina. Intracellular recordings during light and dark adaptation. J Gen Physiol. 1971 Aug;58(2):163–189. doi: 10.1085/jgp.58.2.163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ehinger B., Falck B. Autoradiography of some suspected neurotransmitter substances: GABA glycine, glutamic acid, histamine, dopamine, and L-dopa. Brain Res. 1971 Oct 8;33(1):157–172. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(71)90314-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Fain G. L. Interactions of rod and cone signals in the mudpuppy retina. J Physiol. 1975 Nov;252(3):735–769. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1975.sp011168. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gerschenfeld H. M., Piccolino M. Muscarinic antagonists block cone to horizontal cell transmission in turtle retina. Nature. 1977 Jul 21;268(5617):257–259. doi: 10.1038/268257a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hagins W. A., Penn R. D., Yoshikami S. Dark current and photocurrent in retinal rods. Biophys J. 1970 May;10(5):380–412. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(70)86308-1. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Haldeman S., McLennan H. The antagonistic action of glutamic acid diethylester towards amino acid-induced and synaptic excitations of central neurones. Brain Res. 1972 Oct 27;45(2):393–400. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(72)90470-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hall J. G., McLennan H., Wheal H. V. The actions of certain amino acids as neuronal excitants [proceedings]. J Physiol. 1977 Oct;272(1):52P–53P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Murakami M., Otsu K., Otsuka T. Effects of chemicals on receptors and horizontal cells in the retina. J Physiol. 1972 Dec;227(3):899–913. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp010065. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Murakami M., Otsuka T., Shimazaki H. Effects of aspartate and glutamate on the bipolar cells in the carp retina. Vision Res. 1975 Mar;15(3):456–458. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(75)90101-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Neal M. J. Amino acid transmitter substances in the vertebrate retina. Gen Pharmacol. 1976 Oct;7(5):321–332. doi: 10.1016/0306-3623(76)90014-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ripps H., Shakib M., MacDonald E. D. Peroxidase uptake by photoreceptor terminals of the skate retina. J Cell Biol. 1976 Jul;70(1):86–96. doi: 10.1083/jcb.70.1.86. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Schacher S., Holtzman E., Hood D. C. Synaptic activity of frog retinal photoreceptors. A peroxidase uptake study. J Cell Biol. 1976 Jul;70(1):178–192. doi: 10.1083/jcb.70.1.178. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sugawara K., Negishi K. Effects of some amino acids on the horizontal cell membrane potential in the isolated carp retina. Vision Res. 1973 May;13(5):977–981. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(73)90076-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Trifonov Iu A., Byzov A. L. Reaktsiia kletok-istochnikov s-potentsialov setchatki cherepakhi-na tok propuskaemyi cherez glaznoi bokal. Biofizika. 1965;10(4):673–680. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES