Fig. 8.

Effect of nicardipine treatment on synaptophysin labeling in photoreceptors. Rod cells were stained with rod opsin (red) and synaptophysin (green) antibodies. Confocal microscopic sections (1 μm) from a level containing processes and varicosities are shown. A, An untreated rod cell. The cell had prominent process outgrowth and several varicosities (arrows). Strong synaptophysin staining was present in both the soma and varicosities in the 3-d-old culture. B, Nc-treated rod cell. There was clear inhibition of process outgrowth and varicosity formation and weaker synaptophysin staining in the soma in the 3-d-old culture.C, A rod cell after Nc removal. The cell had resumed process growth and varicosity formation. Although the synaptophysin staining in the soma was still weak, strong synaptophysin staining was present in varicosities (arrow), suggesting a transport of synaptophysin to peripheral structures from the soma after Nc was removed in the 6-d-old culture. D, A rod cell treated with Nc for 5 d after 1 d in Nc-free culture. The prolonged treatment of rod cells with Nc caused a drastic decrease of synaptophysin staining in addition to the inhibition of growth in the 6-d-old culture. Scale bar, 10 μm.