Skip to main content
Log in

Localization of glutamate in the human retina during early prenatal development

  • Published:
Journal of Biosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study we have localized glutamate (GLU) in fetal (14–25 weeks gestation, Wg) human retinas by immunohistochemistry. At 14 Wg, GLU-immunoreactivity (IR) was localized only in the central part of retina, showing a prominently labelled nerve fiber layero A few ganglion cells and displaced amacrine cells were very weakly labelled. At 17 Wg, GLU was localized conspicuously in many ganglion cells, displaced amacrine cells, some amacrine cells and the prospective photoreceptor cell bodies in the neuroepithelial layero With progressive development at 20 and 25 Wg, the IR for GLU was found additionally in the Müller cell endfeet, some bipolar cells as well as in the horizontal cells that were aligned in a row along the outer border of the inner nuclear layer of the central retinao The photoreceptor cell bodies in the outer nuclear layer were also prominently immunopositive for GLU. The developmental distribution of GLU in the human retina tends to indicate that it plays an important role in the differentiation and maturation of retinal neurons.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bamstable A. J 1993Glutamate and GABA in retinal circuitry;Curr. Opinion Neurobiol. 3 520–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bodnarenko S R and Chalupa L M 1993 Stratification of ON and OFF ganglion cell dendrites depends on glutamate-mediated afferent activity in the developing retina;Nature (London)364 144–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooks J and Kolb H 1992Localization of GABA, glycine, glutamate and tyrosine hydroxylase in the human retina;J. Comp. Neurol. 315 287–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haberecht M F and Redburn D A 1996High levels of extracellular glutamate are present in retina during neonatal development;Neurochem. Res. 21 285–291

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton W J, Boyd J D and Mossman, J W W 1962Human Embryology2nd edition (Cambridge: W Heffer)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollenberg M J and Spira A W 1972Early development of human retina;Can. J. Ophthalmol. 7 472–491

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huxlin K R and Bennett M R 1995NADPH diaphorase expression in the rat retina after axotomy—A supportive role for nitric oxide?;Eur. J. Neurosci. 7 2226–2239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lipton S A and Kater S B 1989 Neurotransmitter regulation of neuronal outgrowth, plasticity and survival;Trends Neurosci. 12 265–270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mann I 1964The development of the human eye3rd edition (New York: Grune and Stratton)

    Google Scholar 

  • Marc R E, Liu W-L S, Kalloniatis M, Raiguel S F and Van Haesendonck E 1990Pattern of glutamate immunoreactivity in the goldfish retina;J. Neurosci. 10 4006–4034

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Massey S C 1990Cell types using glutamate as a neurotransmitter in the vertebrate retina;Prog. Retinal Res. 9 399–425

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald J W and Johnston M V 1990Physiological and patho-physiological roles of excitatory amino acids during central nervous system development;Brain Reso Rev. 1 446–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Nag T C and Wadhwa S 1996Calbindin and parvalbumin immunoreactivity in the developing and adult human retina;Dev. Brain Res. 93 23–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nag T C and Wadhwa S 1997Expression of GABA in the fetal, postnatal and adult human retinaso An immunohisto-chemical study;Vis. Neurosci. 14 425–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nichol K A, Shutz M W and Bennett M R 1995Nitric oxide mediated death of cultured neonatal retinal ganglion cells: neuroprotective properties of glutamate and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan;Brain Res. 697 1–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O’Rahilly R 1975The prenatal development of the human eye;Exp. Eye Res. 21 93–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pow D V and Robinson S R 1994Glutamate in some retinal neurons is derived solely from glia;Neuroscience 60 355–366

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pow D V, Crook D K and Wong R O L 1994Early appearance and transient expression of putative aminoacid neurotransmitters and related molecules in the developing rabbit retina: An immunocytochemical study;Vis. Neurosci. 11 1115–1134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Provis J M, van Driel D, Billson F A and Russel P 1985 Human fetal optic nerve: overproduction and elimination of retinal axons during development;J. Comp. Neurol. 238 92–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rabbachi S, Bailly Y, Delhaye-Bouchard N and Mariani J 1992 Involvement of NMDA receptor in synapse elimination during cerebellar development;Science 256 1823–1825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rakic P, Cameron R S and Komuro H 1994Recognition, adhesion, transmembrane signalling and cell montility in guided neuronal migration;Curr. Opinion Neurobiol. 4 63–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Redburn D A, Agarwal S H, Messersmith E K and Mitchell A. K 1992Development of glutamate system in rabbit retina;Neurochem. Res. 17 61–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Redburn D A and Rowe-Rendleman C 1996Developmental neurotransmitters. Signals for shaping neuronal circuitry;Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis Sci. 37 1479–1482

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rhodes R H 1979A light microscopic study of the developing human neural retina;Am. J. Anat. 157 195–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wadhwa S and Bijlani V 1987Developing human optic nerve in prenatal period: changes in the number of retinal axons;Indian J. Ophthalmol. 35 11–16

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Wadhea.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jotwani, G., Wadhea, S., Nag, T.C. et al. Localization of glutamate in the human retina during early prenatal development. J. Biosci. 23, 15–18 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728518

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728518

Keywords

Navigation