Investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying synapse formation between photoreceptor, bipolar and horizontal cells

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Omori Yoshihiro 大阪大学, たんぱく質研究所, 准教授 (90469651)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 網膜 / 視細胞 / 双極細胞 / 水平細胞 / リボンシナプス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the vertebrate retina, visual information is transmitted from photoreceptor cells to ganglion cells via bipolar cells. The photoreceptor axon terminal forms a specialized　synaptic structure, the ribbon synapse, which specifically connects photoreceptor axonal terminals with bipolar and horizontal cell dendritic terminals in the outer plexiform layer. Although various presynaptic proteins which are required for synaptic ribbon structure, such as Ctbp2, piccolo and bassoon, have been identified, the mechanism of ribbon synapse apposition specific to bipolar and horizontal terminals remains mostly unknown. We investigated molecular mechanisms underling the proper formation of photoreceptor ribbon synapses.

Free Research Field

神経科学