Synapsins in the vertebrate retina: Absence from ribbon synapses and heterogeneous distribution among conventional synapses

James W. Mandell, Ellen Townes-Anderson, Andrew J. Czernik, Richard Cameron, Paul Greengard, Pietro De Camilli

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

204 Scopus citations

Abstract

The vertebrate retina contains two ultrastructurally distinct types of vesicle-containing synapses: conventional synapses, made predominantly by amacrine cells, and ribbon synapses, formed by photoreceptor and bipolar cells. To identify molecular differences between these synapse types, we have compared the distribution of the synapsins, a family of nerve terminal phosphoproteins, with that of synaptophysin (p38) and SV2, two intrinsic membrane proteins of synaptic vesicles. We report an absence of synapsin I and II immunoreactivity from all ribbon-containing nerve terminals. These include terminals of rod cells in developing and adult rat retina, rod and cone cells in monkey and salamander retinas, and rat bipolar cells. Furthermore, we show that synapsins I and II are differentially distributed among conventional synapses of amacrine cells. The absence of the synapsins from ribbon synapses suggests that vesicle clustering and mobilization in these terminals differ from that in conventional synapses.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)19-33
Number of pages15
JournalNeuron
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1990
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Synapsins in the vertebrate retina: Absence from ribbon synapses and heterogeneous distribution among conventional synapses'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this