Nicotinic Antagonists Enhance Process Outgrowth by Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells in Culture

Functional nicotinic cholinergic receptors are found on mammalian retinal ganglion cell neurons in culture. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) can be detected in the medium of many of these retinal cultures, after release presumably from the choline acetyltransferase-positive amacrine cells. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1988-03, Vol.239 (4845), p.1293-1296
Main Authors: Lipton, Stuart A., Frosch, Matthew P., Phillips, Micheal D., Tauck, David L., Aizenman, Elias
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylcholine
Animals
Atropine - pharmacology
Biochemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Cell growth
Cell regulation
Cells, Cultured
Cellular control mechanisms
Cholinergic receptors
Cultured cells
Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Ganglia
Growth
Mecamylamine - pharmacology
Nervous system
Neurites
Neurons
Neuroscience
Neurotransmitters
Nicotinic antagonists
Picrotoxin - pharmacology
Rats
Receptors, Nicotinic - drug effects
Receptors, Nicotinic - physiology
Retina
Retina - cytology
Retinal Ganglion Cells - cytology
Retinal Ganglion Cells - drug effects
Tubocurarine - pharmacology
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:Functional nicotinic cholinergic receptors are found on mammalian retinal ganglion cell neurons in culture. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) can be detected in the medium of many of these retinal cultures, after release presumably from the choline acetyltransferase-positive amacrine cells. The postsynaptic effect of endogenous or applied ACh on the ganglion cells can be blocked with specific nicotinic antagonists. Here it is shown that within 24 hours of producing such a pharmacologic blockade, the retinal ganglion cells begin to sprout or regenerate neuronal processes. Thus, the growth-enhancing effect of nicotinic antagonists may be due to the removal of inhibition to growth by tonic levels of ACh present in the culture medium. Since there is a spontaneous leak of ACh in the intact retina, the effects of nicotinic cholinergic drugs on process outgrowth in culture may reflect a normal control mechanism for growth or regeneration of retinal ganglion cell processes that is exerted by ACh in vivo.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.3344435