Fig. 3.

RDC fed mice show thinning of the inner retina. (A) Schematic diagrams showing localization of markers involved in photoreceptor-bipolar synapse of rods and cones. (B) Retinal sections from P300 RDC and RC mice immunolabeled for rod bipolar cells (PKCα), photoreceptor synaptic vesicles (VGLUT-1) and ribbon synapses (CtBP2) markers. Bottom images are taken at higher magnification at the OPL/INL areas colabeled with VGLUT-1 and PKCα (left) and PKCα and CtBP2 (right) taken at different regions of the OPL. (C) Length of 3D renderings (generated from PKCα stained retinas) of rod bipolar cells was measured in RC and RDC retinas. (D) Rod bipolar endfeet for both cohorts were counted from samples labeled with PKCα stained retinas. Statistical analysis was assessed by one-way ANOVA **** = p < 0.0001 (N = 3 separate animals, plotted is mean ± SEM). (E) Colabeling with secretagogin (SCGN), a marker that preferentially labels cone bipolar cells, CtBP2, and PNA show the synaptic interaction at the cone pedicle. Insets show magnified images of a single cone synaptic connection. (F) Labeling with tubulin βIII marks axons in the inner plexiform layer. 3D renderings of marked regions (white dashed boxed in the lower magnify cation images, top panel corresponds to top box and bottom panel corresponds to bottom box) show axonal density in the IPL of RC and RDC retinas. All images presented are collapsed confocal stacks, while insets in C are single layer captures. OS, outer segment; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer, INL, inner nuclear layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; GC, ganglion cell layer.