Neurochemical differentiation of horizontal and amacrine cells during transformation of the sea lamprey retina

The sea lamprey is a modern representative of the earliest vertebrates (the agnathans) in which development of the eye and retina shows unique patterns. In larval stages the retina is poorly developed, and although a small central region has developed glutamatergic vertical pathways, there is no evidence of chemical differentiation of amacrine and horizontal cells in the central or lateral larval retina [Villar-Cerviño, V., Abalo, X.M., Villar-Cheda, B., Meléndez-Ferro, M., Pérez-Costas, E., Holstein, G.R., Martinelli, G.P., Rodicio, M.C., Anadón, R., 2006. Presence of glutamate, glycine, and γ-aminobutyric acid in the retina of the larval sea lamprey: comparative immunohistochemical study of classical neurotransmitters in larval and postmetamorphic retinas. J. Comp. Neurol. 499, 810-827.]. However, in adults all the retina was differentiated and both amacrine and horizontal cells are well developed. Present immunocytochemical results show that the horizontal and amacrine cells of the retina begin their neurochemical differentiation during metamorphosis, when they start to express GABA, glycine, serotonin and dopamine; this occurs several years after the onset of development. Immunoreactivity for GABA, glycine and serotonin was found at early metamorphic stages, while expression of the markers of catecholaminergic amacrine cells, dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase, was found to be delayed until intermediate metamorphic stages. GABA, which is found in some amacrine and horizontal cells of adults, was first observed in amacrine cells during early stages of transformation and then in horizontal cells during middle stages. All cells immunoreactive to serotonin or tyrosine hydroxylase/dopamine were amacrine cells. Interestingly, all these markers began expression before the appearance of opsin-immunoreactive photoreceptors in the lateral retina. The pattern of chemical differentiation of amacrine and horizontal cells was compared with that of other vertebrates and their significance was discussed.