Document Type

Article

Journal Title

PLoS biology

Publication Date

Spring 5-1-2011

Volume

9

Abstract

Cone photoreceptors and horizontal cells (HCs) have a reciprocal synapse that underlies lateral inhibition and establishes the antagonistic center-surround organization of the visual system. Cones transmit to HCs through an excitatory synapse and HCs feed back to cones through an inhibitory synapse. Here we report that HCs also transmit to cone terminals a positive feedback signal that elevates intracellular Ca(2+) and accelerates neurotransmitter release. Positive and negative feedback are both initiated by AMPA receptors on HCs, but positive feedback appears to be mediated by a change in HC Ca(2+), whereas negative feedback is mediated by a change in HC membrane potential. Local uncaging of AMPA receptor agonists suggests that positive feedback is spatially constrained to active HC-cone synapses, whereas the negative feedback signal spreads through HCs to affect release from surrounding cones. By locally offsetting the effects of negative feedback, positive feedback may amplify photoreceptor synaptic release without sacrificing HC-mediated contrast enhancement.

MeSH Headings

Ambystoma, Animals, Calcium, Calcium Signaling, Feedback, Physiological, Glutamic Acid, In Vitro Techniques, Lizards, Membrane Potentials, Quinoxalines, Rabbits, Receptors, AMPA, Receptors, Glutamate, Retina, Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells, Retinal Horizontal Cells, Synapses, Zebrafish, alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid

ISSN

1545-7885

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

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