Three-Dimensional Ultrastructure of the Normal Rod Photoreceptor Synapse and Degenerative Changes Induced by Retinal Detachment.

The rod photoreceptor synapse is the first synapse of dim-light vision and one of the most complex in the mammalian CNS. The components of its unique structure, a presynaptic ribbon and a single synaptic invagination enclosing several postsynaptic processes, have been identified, but disagreements about their organization remain. Here, we have used EM tomography to generate high-resolution images of 3-D volumes of the rod synapse from the female domestic cat. We have resolved the synaptic ribbon as a single structure, with a single arciform density, indicating the presence of one long site of transmitter release. The organization of the postsynaptic processes, which has been difficult to resolve with past methods, appears as a tetrad arrangement of two horizontal cell and two rod bipolar cell processes. Retinal detachment severely disrupts this organization. After 7 d, EM tomography reveals withdrawal of rod bipolar dendrites from most spherules; fragmentation of synaptic ribbons, which lose their tight association with the presynaptic membrane; and loss of the highly branched telodendria of the horizontal cell axon terminals. After detachment, the hilus, the opening through which postsynaptic processes enter the invagination, enlarges, exposing the normally sequestered environment within the invagination to the extracellular space of the outer plexiform layer. Our use of EM tomography provides the most accurate description to date of the complex rod synapse and details changes it undergoes during outer segment degeneration. These changes would be expected to disrupt the flow of information in the rod pathway.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Ribbon-type synapses transmit the first electrical signals of vision and hearing. Despite their crucial role in sensory physiology, the three-dimensional ultrastructure of these synapses, especially the complex organization of the rod photoreceptor synapse, is not well understood. We used EM tomography to obtain 3-D imaging at nanoscale resolution to help resolve the organization of rod synapses in normal and detached retinas. This approach has enabled us to show that in the normal retina a single ribbon and arciform density oppose a tetrad of postsynaptic processes. In addition, it enabled us to provide a 3-D perspective of the ultrastructural changes that occur in response to retinal detachment.

Amelioration of Photoreceptor Degeneration by Intravitreal Transplantation of Retinal Progenitor Cells in Rats.

Photoreceptor degeneration is a major cause of untreatable blindness worldwide and has recently been targeted by emerging technologies, including cell- and gene-based therapies. Cell types of neural lineage have shown promise for replacing either photoreceptors or retinal pigment epithelial cells following delivery to the subretinal space, while cells of bone marrow lineage have been tested for retinal trophic effects following delivery to the vitreous cavity. Here we explore an alternate approach in which cells from the immature neural retinal are delivered to the vitreous cavity with the goal of providing trophic support for degenerating photoreceptors. Rat and human retinal progenitor cells were transplanted to the vitreous of rats with a well-studied photoreceptor dystrophy, resulting in substantial anatomical preservation and functional rescue of vision. This work provides scientific proof-of-principle for a novel therapeutic approach to photoreceptor degeneration that is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

Sox2 regulates astrocytic and vascular development in the retina.

Sox2 is a transcriptional regulator that is highly expressed in retinal astrocytes, yet its function in these cells has not previously been examined. To understand its role, we conditionally deleted Sox2 from the population of astrocytes and examined the consequences on retinal development. We found that Sox2 deletion does not alter the migration of astrocytes, but it impairs their maturation, evidenced by the delayed upregulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) across the retina. The centro-peripheral gradient of angiogenesis is also delayed in Sox2-CKO retinas. In the mature retina, we observed lasting abnormalities in the astrocytic population evidenced by the sporadic loss of GFAP immunoreactivity in the peripheral retina as well as by the aberrant extension of processes into the inner retina. Blood vessels in the adult retina are also under-developed and show a decrease in the frequency of branch points and in total vessel length. The developmental relationship between maturing astrocytes and angiogenesis suggests a causal relationship between the astrocytic loss of Sox2 and the vascular architecture in maturity. We suggest that the delay in astrocytic maturation and vascular invasion may render the retina hypoxic, thereby causing the abnormalities we observe in adulthood. These studies uncover a novel role for Sox2 in the development of retinal astrocytes and indicate that its removal can lead to lasting changes to retinal homeostasis.

Three-dimensional organization of nascent rod outer segment disk membranes.

The vertebrate photoreceptor cell contains an elaborate cilium that includes a stack of phototransductive membrane disks. The disk membranes are continually renewed, but how new disks are formed remains poorly understood. Here we used electron microscope tomography to obtain 3D visualization of the nascent disks of rod photoreceptors in three mammalian species, to gain insight into the process of disk morphogenesis. We observed that nascent disks are invariably continuous with the ciliary plasma membrane, although, owing to partial enclosure, they can appear to be internal in 2D profiles. Tomographic analyses of the basal-most region of the outer segment show changes in shape of the ciliary plasma membrane indicating an invagination, which is likely a first step in disk formation. The invagination flattens to create the proximal surface of an evaginating lamella, as well as membrane protrusions that extend between adjacent lamellae, thereby initiating a disk rim. Immediately distal to this initiation site, lamellae of increasing diameter are evident, indicating growth outward from the cilium. In agreement with a previous model, our data indicate that mature disks are formed once lamellae reach full diameter, and the growth of a rim encloses the space between adjacent surfaces of two lamellae. This study provides 3D data of nascent and mature rod photoreceptor disk membranes at unprecedented z-axis depth and resolution, and provides a basis for addressing fundamental questions, ranging from protein sorting in the photoreceptor cilium to photoreceptor electrophysiology.

Characterizing spatial distributions of astrocytes in the mammalian retina.

MOTIVATION: In addition to being involved in retinal vascular growth, astrocytes play an important role in diseases and injuries, such as glaucomatous neuro-degeneration and retinal detachment. Studying astrocytes, their morphological cell characteristics and their spatial relationships to the surrounding vasculature in the retina may elucidate their role in these conditions. RESULTS: Our results show that in normal healthy retinas, the distribution of observed astrocyte cells does not follow a uniform distribution. The cells are significantly more densely packed around the blood vessels than a uniform distribution would predict. We also show that compared with the distribution of all cells, large cells are more dense in the vicinity of veins and toward the optic nerve head whereas smaller cells are often more dense in the vicinity of arteries. We hypothesize that since veinal astrocytes are known to transport toxic metabolic waste away from neurons they may be more critical than arterial astrocytes and therefore require larger cell bodies to process waste more efficiently. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: A 1/8th size down-sampled version of the seven retinal image mosaics described in this article can be found on BISQUE (Kvilekval et al., 2010) at http://bisque.ece.ucsb.edu/client_service/view?resource=http://bisque.ece.ucsb.edu/data_service/dataset/6566968.

Astrocyte structural reactivity and plasticity in models of retinal detachment.

Although retinal neurodegenerative conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and retinal detachment have different etiologies and pathological characteristics, they also have many responses in common at the cellular level, including neural and glial remodeling. Structural changes in Müller cells, the large radial glia of the retina in retinal disease and injury have been well described, that of the retinal astrocytes remains less so. Using modern imaging technology to describe the structural remodeling of retinal astrocytes after retinal detachment is the focus of this paper. We present both a review of critical literature as well as novel work focusing on the responses of astrocytes following rhegmatogenous and serous retinal detachment. The mouse presents a convenient model system in which to study astrocyte reactivity since the Mϋller cell response is muted in comparison to other species thereby allowing better visualization of the astrocytes. We also show data from rat, cat, squirrel, and human retina demonstrating similarities and differences across species. Our data from immunolabeling and dye-filling experiments demonstrate previously undescribed morphological characteristics of normal astrocytes and changes induced by detachment. Astrocytes not only upregulate GFAP, but structurally remodel, becoming increasingly irregular in appearance, and often penetrating deep into neural retina. Understanding these responses, their consequences, and what drives them may prove to be an important component in improving visual outcome in a variety of therapeutic situations. Our data further supports the concept that astrocytes are important players in the retina's overall response to injury and disease.

Noninvasive imaging of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel photoreceptor mosaic.

Ground squirrels are an increasingly important model for studying visual processing, retinal circuitry, and cone photoreceptor function. Here, we demonstrate that the photoreceptor mosaic can be longitudinally imaged noninvasively in the 13-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) using confocal and nonconfocal split-detection adaptive optics scanning ophthalmoscopy using 790 nm light. Photoreceptor density, spacing, and Voronoi analysis are consistent with that of the human cone mosaic. The high imaging success rate and consistent image quality in this study reinforce the ground squirrel as a practical model to aid drug discovery and testing through longitudinal imaging on the cellular scale.

Development and plasticity of outer retinal circuitry following genetic removal of horizontal cells.

The present study examined the consequences of eliminating horizontal cells from the outer retina during embryogenesis upon the organization and assembly of the outer plexiform layer (OPL). Retinal horizontal cells exhibit a migration defect in Lim1-conditional knock-out (Lim1-CKO) mice and become mispositioned in the inner retina before birth, redirecting their dendrites into the inner plexiform layer. The resultant (mature) OPL, developing in the absence of horizontal cells, shows a retraction of rod spherules into the outer nuclear layer and a sprouting of rod bipolar cell dendrites to reach ectopic ribbon-protein puncta. Cone pedicles and the dendrites of type 7 cone bipolar cells retain their characteristic stratification and colocalization within the collapsed OPL, although both are atrophic and the spatial distribution of the pedicles is disrupted. Developmental analysis of Lim1-CKO retina reveals that components of the rod and cone pathways initially co-assemble within their normal strata in the OPL, indicating that horizontal cells are not required for the correct targeting of photoreceptor terminals or bipolar cell dendrites. As the rod spherules begin to retract during the second postnatal week, rod bipolar cells initially show no signs of ectopic growth, sprouting only subsequently and continuing to do so well after the eighth postnatal week. These results demonstrate the critical yet distinctive roles for horizontal cells on the rod and cone pathways and highlight a unique and as-yet-unrecognized maintenance function of an inhibitory interneuron that is not required for the initial targeting and co-stratification of other components in the circuit.

Quantifying spatial relationships from whole retinal images.

MOTIVATION: Microscopy advances have enabled the acquisition of large-scale biological images that capture whole tissues in situ. This in turn has fostered the study of spatial relationships between cells and various biological structures, which has proved enormously beneficial toward understanding organ and organism function. However, the unique nature of biological images and tissues precludes the application of many existing spatial mining and quantification methods necessary to make inferences about the data. Especially difficult is attempting to quantify the spatial correlation between heterogeneous structures and point objects, which often occurs in many biological tissues. RESULTS: We develop a method to quantify the spatial correlation between a continuous structure and point data in large (17 500 × 17 500 pixel) biological images. We use this method to study the spatial relationship between the vasculature and a type of cell in the retina called astrocytes. We use a geodesic feature space based on vascular structures and embed astrocytes into the space by spatial sampling. We then propose a quantification method in this feature space that enables us to empirically demonstrate that the spatial distribution of astrocytes is often correlated with vascular structure. Additionally, these patterns are conserved in the retina after injury. These results prove the long-assumed patterns of astrocyte spatial distribution and provide a novel methodology for conducting other spatial studies of similar tissue and structures. AVAILABILITY: The Matlab code for the method described in this article can be found at http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/∼dbl/software.php. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Remodelling of retinal on- and off-bipolar cells following experimental retinal detachment.

BACKGROUND: To study the response of ON and OFF bipolar cells in experimental retinal detachment. METHODS: Domestic cat retinas were detached for 7 days. The retinas were prepared for immunocytochemical staining with antibodies to Go alpha (α), glutamate transporter GLT-1, protein kinase C and rod opsin, which serve as markers for ON bipolar cells, OFF bipolar cells, rod bipolar cells and rod photoreceptors, respectively. Both sections and whole-mounts were labelled with antibodies to Goα and GLT-1. RESULTS: Following 7 days of detachment, ON bipolar cell processes extended into the outer nuclear layer and had neurites extending beyond their target layer into the inner plexiform layer. In contrast, OFF bipolar cell processes were reduced in the outer plexiform layer following detachment. CONCLUSION: ON and OFF bipolar cells undergo significant remodelling of their processes in response to retinal detachment, and the ON and OFF pathways may be differentially affected. The remodelling may be due to morphological changes that have previously been shown to occur in photoreceptor synaptic terminals or as a result of loss of synaptic connections due to photoreceptor cell death.

Optomotor and immunohistochemical changes in the juvenile S334ter rat.

The aim of this study was to examine the temporal relationship between behaviorally measured visual thresholds, photoreceptor degeneration and dysfunction, synaptic and neuronal morphology changes in the retina in the S334ter line 4 rat. Specifically, we examined the optokinetic tracking (OKT) behavior in S334ter rats daily and found that OKT thresholds reflected normal values at eye opening but quickly reduced to a non-response level by postnatal day (P) 22. By contrast, the scotopic electroretinogram (ERG) showed a much slower degeneration, with substantial scotopic function remaining after P90 as previously demonstrated for this line of rats. Photopic b-wave amplitudes revealed functional levels between 70 and 100% of normal between P30 and P90. Histological evidence demonstrated that photoreceptor degeneration occurred over many months, with an outer nuclear layer (ONL) roughly half the thickness of a normal age-matched control at P90. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a number of changes in retinal morphology in the Tg S334ter line 4 rat that occur at or before P40 including: elevated levels of rod opsin expression in the ONL, cone photoreceptor morphology changes, glial cell activation, inner retinal neuron sprouting, and microglial cell activation. Many of these changes were evident at P30 and in some cases as early as eye opening (P15). Thus, the morphological changes occurred in concert with or before the very rapid loss of the behavioral (OKT) responses, and significantly before the loss of photoreceptors and photoreceptor function.

Protein changes in the retina following experimental retinal detachment in rabbits.

PURPOSE: Retinal detachment leads to the widespread cellular remodeling of the retina. The purpose of this study was to identify protein changes that accompany these cellular alterations by comparing the proteomic profiles of sham and experimentally detached rabbit retina. Elucidation of the proteins most dramatically affected by retinal detachment would add further understanding to the pathophysiology of this condition, and potentially identify therapeutic targets useful in preventing the deleterious effects of detachment, including photoreceptor cell death and the activation of non-neuronal microglial and Müller cells. METHODS: Retinal detachments were induced in the right eyes of six New Zealand Red pigmented rabbits. Sham surgery was performed in the right eyes of six other rabbits that were used as controls. At seven days, the eyes were enucleated and the retinal tissue was harvested. The individual retinal samples were subjected to high resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Differentially expressed protein spots were processed for identification by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Further investigation was undertaken with western blotting, and immunocytochemical studies on a further set of four sham and four detached retinas. RESULTS: Eighteen protein spots were found to be at least twofold differentially expressed between the sham and detached retinas. These protein spots were identified as: vimentin; tubulin ß-2C; fragments of α-enolase; fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A; ATP synthase subunit ß; mitochondrial creatine kinase; N-terminal fragments of albumin; prohibitin; and transducin-ß(1). CONCLUSIONS: The differentially expressed proteins determined in this study may play an important role in the cellular responses of the retina after its detachment, subsequent ability to recover following surgical reattachment, as well as in serious complications such as subretinal fibrosis and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Cell proliferation in human epiretinal membranes: characterization of cell types and correlation with disease condition and duration.

PURPOSE: To quantify the extent of cellular proliferation and immunohistochemically characterize the proliferating cell types in epiretinal membranes (ERMS) from four different conditions: proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), proliferative diabetic retinopathy, post-retinal detachment, and idiopathic ERM. METHODS: Forty-six ERMs were removed from patients undergoing vitrectomy and immediately fixed in paraformaldehyde. The membranes were processed whole and immunolabeled with either anti-MIB-1 or anti-SP6 to detect the K(i)-67 protein in proliferating cells, in combination with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein or anti-vimentin to identify glia, anti-ezrin to identify retinal pigment epithelial cells, Ricinus communis to identify immune cells, and Hoechst to label nuclei. Digital images were collected using a laser scanning confocal microscope. The cell types were identified, their combined proliferative indices were tabulated as the average number of anti-K(i)-67-positive cells/mm(2) of tissue, and the number of dividing cells was related to the specific ocular condition and estimated disease duration. RESULTS: ERMs of all four types were shown to be highly cellular and contained proliferating cells identified as glia, retinal pigment epithelium, and of immune origin. In general, membranes identified as PVR had many more K(i)-67-positive cells in comparison to those in the other three categories, with the average number of K(i)-67-positive cells identified per mm(2) of tissue being 20.9 for proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 138.3 for PVR, 12.2 for post-retinal detachment, and 19.3 for idiopathic ERM. While all membrane types had dividing cells, their number was a relatively small fraction of the total number of cells present. CONCLUSIONS: The four ERM types studied demonstrated different cell types actively dividing at the time of removal, confirming that proliferation is a common event and does continue over many months. The low number of dividing cells at the time of removal in comparison to the total number of cells present, however, is an indicator that proliferation alone may not be responsible for the problems observed with the ERMs. Treatment strategies may need to take into consideration the timing of drug administration, as well as the contractile and possibly the inflammatory characteristics of the membranes to prevent the ensuing effects on the retina.

Expression profiles of nestin and synemin in reactive astrocytes and Müller cells following retinal injury: a comparison with glial fibrillar acidic protein and vimentin.

PURPOSE: To examine the expression patterns of the intermediate filament (IF) proteins nestin and synemin following retinal injury. METHODS: Wide-scale retinal injuries were created by experimental retinal detachment of 1, 3, 7, or 30 days' duration. Injuries were induced in the right eyes of Long Evans rats, while the left eyes served as internal controls. Vibratome sections of control and injured retinas were labeled with fluorescent probes using a combination of anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein, -vimentin, -nestin, -synemin, -bromodeoxyuridine, and the lectin probe, isolectin B4. Additionally, antibody specificity, as well as protein and mRNA levels of nestin and synemin were determined and quantified using standard western blotting and real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques. RESULTS: Immunocytochemistry showed increased Müller cell labeling at 1, 3, and 7 days post injury for all four IFs, although the relative levels of nestin expression varied dramatically between individual Müller cells. Nestin was consistently observed in the foremost processes of those Müller cells that grew into the subretinal space, forming glial scars. Elevated levels of nestin expression were also observed in bromodeoxyuridine-labeled Müller cells following retinal insult. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) showed a twofold increase in nestin mRNA 1 day after injury, a level maintained at 3 and 7 days. Western blotting using anti-nestin showed a single band at 220 kDa and the intensity of this band increased following injury. Anti-synemin labeling of control retinas revealed faint labeling of astrocytes; this increased after injury, demonstrating an association with blood vessels. Additionally, there was an upregulation of synemin in Müller cells. qPCR and western blotting with anti-synemin showed a continuous increase in both gene and protein expression over time. CONCLUSIONS: Retinal injury induces an upregulation of a complement of four intermediate filament proteins, including synemin and nestin, in Müller cells. The latter provides suggestive support for the concept that these cells may revert to a more developmentally immature state, since these two IF proteins are developmentally regulated and expressed, and thus may serve as cell cycle reentry markers. Nestin and its differential expression patterns with glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin networks, as well as its association with proliferating Müller cells and those extending into the subretinal space, suggest a significant role of this protein in glial scar formation and perhaps gliogenesis. Synemin immunopositive astrocytes demonstrate a close relationship to the retinal vasculature, and illustrate a remarkable ability to reorganize their morphology in response to injury. Further examination of the changes in the cytoskeletal signatures of both of these glial cell types may lead to a more comprehensive understanding of mechanisms underway following retinal and other central nervous system injuries.

The fate of Müller's glia following experimental retinal detachment: nuclear migration, cell division, and subretinal glial scar formation.

PURPOSE: To study the fate of Müller's glia following experimental retinal detachment, using a "pulse/chase" paradigm of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling for the purpose of understanding the role of Müller cell division in subretinal scar formation. METHODS: Experimental retinal detachments were created in pigmented rabbit eyes, and 3 days later 10 microg of BrdU was injected intravitreally. The retinas were harvested 4 h after the BrdU was administered (i.e., day 3) or on days 4, 7, and 21 post detachment. The tissue was fixed, embedded in agarose, and sectioned at 100 microm. The sections were labeled with various combinations of probes, including anti-vimentin and anti-S100 (as markers for Müller cells), anti-BrdU, anti-phosphohistone H3 (to identify mitotic cells), and the isolectin B4 (to identify macrophages and microglia). Images were captured using an Olympus Fluoview 500 confocal microscope. To aid in our understanding of how Müller cell nuclei undergo cell division, two additional procedures were used: 1) electron microscopy of normal cat and rabbit retinas and 2) a new method using 5-fluorouracil and subsequent anti-BrdU labeling to detect all Müller cell nuclei, using confocal imaging. RESULTS: Three days after detachment, anti-vimentin labeled all Müller cells, some of which were also labeled with anti-BrdU. On day 4, many of the anti-BrdU-labeled Müller cell nuclei appeared in columns with one labeled nucleus in the inner nuclear layer and another directly sclerad to it in the outer nuclear layer. By day 7, most anti-BrdU-labeled nuclei were observed in subretinal scars. At 3 weeks, some anti-BrdU-labeled nuclei that remained within the retina did not express vimentin or S100. Anti-phosphohistone H3-labeled (i.e., mitotic) cells, some of which were also labeled with anti-BrdU, were only observed in the outer nuclear layer on day 4, and these nuclei were surrounded by an accumulation of vimentin filaments. Isolectin B4-labeled microglia and macrophages also incorporated BrdU and were observed throughout the retina and in subretinal scars during all times of detachment. Electron microscopy and immunofluorescence labeling of the 5-fluorouracil-injected eyes revealed the presence of a unique structural relationship between Müller cell nuclei and intermediate filament proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Following retinal detachment, many Müller cell nuclei initially migrate to the outer retina, undergo mitosis, and eventually reside in subretinal glial scars, suggesting a possible link between the early division of Müller cells and the process of subretinal gliosis. In addition, a subpopulation of anti-BrdU-labeled cells, presumably once Müller cells, appears to stop expressing well accepted Müller cell marker proteins, suggesting a potential dedifferentiation of some of these cells over time. Additionally, Müller cell nuclei may use intermediate filaments as a "track" for migration into the outer retina and later as an important component of cell division by the accumulation of vimentin filaments around the mitotic nuclei.

Retraction and remodeling of rod spherules are early events following experimental retinal detachment: an ultrastructural study using serial sections.

PURPOSE: To describe changes induced by retinal detachment in the ultrastructure and organization of rod terminals and their connections with B-type horizontal cell (HC) axon terminals and rod bipolar cell (RB) dendrites. METHODS: Sections from control, 3 day, 7 day, and 28 day detached feline retinas were prepared for confocal immunofluorescence, light microscopy, and electron microscopy (EM). In addition, 100 mum-thick vibratome sections were immunolabeled with markers for photoreceptor terminals, HCs, and RBs. More than 40 rod spherules were studied in 90 nm-thick serial sections by transmission EM to greater detail changes in their ultrastructure and innervation. RESULTS: Following retinal detachment, many rod terminals retracted varying distances toward their respective cell bodies in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). In retinas detached for 1 to 4 weeks, an altered synaptic vesicle population and associated ribbons were found in all retracting terminals. Many rod somata in the distal ONL seemed to lack synaptic terminal structures altogether. In a retina detached for 1 week, EM showed that less than half of the retracted terminals remain in contact with RB dendrites. In contrast, almost every surviving spherule was contacted by neurite outgrowths from the axon terminals of the B-type HC. Although retracted spherules had several presynaptic structures similar to those in normal retina, numerous changes occurred in their overall synaptic architecture. The spherule's invagination was shallower, contained fewer postsynaptic processes, and often had "opened," allowing swollen HC processes apposing the synaptic ribbon to directly contact other processes of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) neuropil. Whereas in normal cat retina each HC "lobe" comes from a different axon terminal system, after detachment, the opposing lateral elements can stem from the same terminal. The innervating RB dendrites that branched off stout RB dendritic trunks that extended up into the ONL were thinner than normal, unbranched, often electron dense, and lacked organelles. When present, most merely lay adjacent to retracting spherules rather than enter any synaptic invagination that might still occur. CONCLUSIONS: Immunocytochemistry enabled RB and HC neurites to appear postsynaptic to retracted rod terminals. However, at the ultrastructural level, HCs seemed to more consistently retain connection with the retracted spherules than the RBs. The highly conserved architecture of the rod spherule was lost as the invagination opened and postsynaptic contacts became fewer. It would seem that the lack of RB central elements as well as the drastic alterations in the architecture of most retracted terminals would necessarily alter the physiology of this complex synapse.

Alkylphosphocholines: a new approach to inhibit cell proliferation in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy represents the major complication in retinal detachment surgery and occurs in about 5-15% of cases resulting in a significant loss of vision despite multiple surgical procedures. Although successful anatomical reattachment is usually achieved, the reduction in central vision often remains permanent due to the intraretinal changes induced by retinal detachment and the subsequent proliferative response within the retina. Retinal Muller glial cells play a pivotal role in this process together with retinal pigment epithelial cells which are dispersed in the vitreous and stimulated by growth factors and serum in the vitreous after the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier.

A farnesyltransferase inhibitor activates lysosomes and reduces tau pathology in mice with tauopathy.

Tau inclusions are a shared feature of many neurodegenerative diseases, among them frontotemporal dementia caused by tau mutations. Treatment approaches for these conditions include targeting posttranslational modifications of tau proteins, maintaining a steady-state amount of tau, and preventing its tendency to aggregate. We discovered a new regulatory pathway for tau degradation that operates through the farnesylated protein, Rhes, a GTPase in the Ras family. Here, we show that treatment with the farnesyltransferase inhibitor lonafarnib reduced Rhes and decreased brain atrophy, tau inclusions, tau sumoylation, and tau ubiquitination in the rTg4510 mouse model of tauopathy. In addition, lonafarnib treatment attenuated behavioral abnormalities in rTg4510 mice and reduced microgliosis in mouse brain. Direct reduction of Rhes in the rTg4510 mouse by siRNA reproduced the results observed with lonafarnib treatment. The mechanism of lonafarnib action mediated by Rhes to reduce tau pathology was shown to operate through activation of lysosomes. We finally showed in mouse brain and in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons a normal developmental increase in Rhes that was initially suppressed by tau mutations. The known safety of lonafarnib revealed in human clinical trials for cancer suggests that this drug could be repurposed for treating tauopathies.

Assessment of Outer Retinal Remodeling in the Hibernating 13-Lined Ground Squirrel.

Purpose: We examined outer retinal remodeling of the euthermic and torpid cone-dominant 13-lined ground squirrel (13-LGS) retina using optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and histology. Methods: Retinas and corneas of living 13-LGSs were imaged during euthermic and torpid physiological states using OCT. Retinal layer thickness was measured at the visual streak from registered and averaged vertical B-scans. Following OCT, some retinas were collected immediately for postmortem histologic comparison using light microscopy, immunofluorescence, or transmission electron microscopy. Results: Compared to OCT images from euthermic retinae, OCT images of torpid retinae revealed significantly thicker inner and outer nuclear layers, as well as increases in the distances between outer retinal reflectivity bands 1 and 2, and bands 3 and 4. A significant decrease in the distance between bands 2 and 3 also was seen, alongside significant thinning of the choriocapillaris and choroid. OCT image quality was reduced in torpid eyes, partly due to significant thickening of the corneal stroma during this state. Conclusions: The torpid retina of the hibernating 13-LGS undergoes structural changes that can be detected by OCT imaging. Comparisons between in vivo OCT and ex vivo histomorphometry may offer insight to the origin of hyperreflective OCT bands within the outer retina of the cone-dominant 13-LGS.

The effect of alkylphosphocholines on intraretinal proliferation initiated by experimental retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of alkylphosphocholines (APCs) on intraretinal proliferation induced by experimental retinal detachment in the rabbit. METHODS: Retinal detachments were created in adult pigmented rabbits. APCs, either liposome bound (liposome, L-APC) or unbound (free, F-APC), were injected intravitreally on either day 1 or day 2 after detachment. BrdU was injected on day 3, 4 hours before death. After fixation, retinas were triple labeled with anti-BrdU, anti-vimentin, and the isolectin B4. The number of anti-BrdU-labeled cells was counted per millimeter of retina from sections imaged by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Toxicity was examined using toluidine blue-stained sections imaged by light microscopy and by electron microscopy for ultrastructural evaluation. RESULTS: Retinal detachment initiated proliferation of all non-neuronal cells. After intravitreal injection on day 1 or 2 after experimental induction of retinal detachment, APCs significantly reduced the number of dividing cells at day 3. Liposome-bound drug given on day 2 was more effective on Müller cell proliferation than was unbound drug. Injection of F-APC on day 1 was more effective than when given on day 2. No apparent effect was seen on Müller cell hypertrophy as indicated by vimentin expression. In addition, no evidence of toxicity was observed in the retina at day 3 for any of the conditions. CONCLUSIONS: APCs significantly reduce the number of Müller cells that are stimulated to divide as a result of retinal detachment. The preliminary results indicate no evidence of significant toxicity; however, further studies are needed. APCs have the potential to be used as part of a therapeutic approach if they can be combined with other agents that can suppress the fibrosis that is also a critical event in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinal diseases such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).