Rumi Kawashima, Kenji Matsushita, Kenji Mandai, Yuko Sugita, Tomohiko Maruo, Kiyohito Mizutani, Yoshihiro Midoh, Akiko Oguchi, Yasuhiro Murakawa, Kazuki Kuniyoshi, Ryohei Sato, Takahisa Furukawa, Kohji Nishida, Yoshimi Takai
In vertebrates, retinal neural circuitry for visual perception is organized in specific layers. The outer plexiform layer is the first synaptic region in the visual pathway, where photoreceptor synaptic terminals connect with bipolar and horizontal cell processes. However, molecular mechanisms underlying cone synapse formation to mediate OFF pathways remain unknown. This study reveals that Necl-1/CADM3 is localized at S- and S/M-opsin-containing cones and dendrites of type 4 OFF cone bipolar cells (CBCs). In Necl-1 -/- mouse retina, synapses between cones and type 4 OFF CBCs were dislocated, horizontal cell distribution became abnormal, and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors were dislocated...
April 19, 2024: IScience