Panel A shows a retinal cell schematic illustrating photoreceptors, bipolar, horizontal, amacrine, and ganglion cell organization. Panel B shows fluorescence microscopy images comparing DAPI stained retinal layers in wild type and knockout mice. Panel C shows a line graph comparing outer nuclear layer thickness across retinal positions in both genotypes. Panel D shows fluorescence microscopy images of protein kinase C labeled bipolar cells in wild type and knockout retinas. Panel E shows fluorescence microscopy images of Secretagogin labeled retinal neurons comparing wild type and knockout expression patterns. Panel F shows fluorescence microscopy images of Calbindin labeled retinal neurons in wild type and knockout retinas. Panel G shows fluorescence microscopy images of gamma aminobutyric acid labeled retinal neurons comparing both genotypes. Panel H shows fluorescence microscopy images of GlyT1 labeled retinal neurons in wild type and knockout retinas. Panel I shows fluorescence microscopy images of Brn3A labeled retinal ganglion cells comparing wild type and knockout retinas.
Pclo cKO retinae exhibit normal retinal anatomy. (A) Schematic representation of a mouse retina highlighting major neuronal cell classes. (B) Vertical cryostat sections through PcloWT and PclocKO retinae labeled with DAPI. (C) Quantification of the ONL thickness in PcloWT and PclocKO retinae. Data are mean ± SD, two-way ANOVA, four animals. (D–I) Fluorescence micrographs of vertical cryostat sections through PcloWT (left panels) and PclocKO (right panels) retinae labeled for neuronal classes postsynaptic to rod and cone photoreceptors: rod bipolar cells (PKCα, D), cone bipolar cells (secretagogin, E), horizontal cells (calbindin, F), GABAergic amacrine cells (GABA, G), glycinergic amacrine cells (GlyT1, H), and ganglion cells (Brn3a, I). Asterisks (*) mark blood vessels. Scale bar = 20 µm in B, in F (for D–F), and in I (for G–I). PhRS, photoreceptor outer and inner segments; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; GCL, ganglion cell layer.