Fig. 9.

Effect of nicardipine (Nc) treatment on synaptophysin staining as measured with densitometric analysis. The analysis was performed on 1 μm optical sections taken from a level showing processes and a level showing the Golgi apparatus.A, Experimental design for Nc application and Nc removal. Nc (10 μm) was added to and removed from the culture medium as indicated. B, Densitometry of cone cells. Cone cells did not show a significant decrease of synaptophysin staining intensity in Nc-treated, Nc-removed, and Nc-remained groups as compared with the untreated group at both levels. C, Densitometry of rod cells. Although rod cells from the Nc-treated group showed only a trend toward decreased synaptophysin staining intensity as compared with the untreated group, prolonged Nc treatment (Nc-Remained group) caused a significant decrease in synaptophysin staining intensity at both process and Golgi levels. Removal of Nc from the medium reduced the extent of this decrease (Nc-Removed group). A total of 160 cells in eight cultures from one animal were analyzed.