Expression of Non-visual Opsins Opn3 and Opn5 in the Developing Inner Retinal Cells of Birds. Light-Responses in Müller Glial Cells

RIOS, MAXIMILIANO N.; MARCHESE, NATALIA A.; GUIDO, MARIO E.

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

Frontiers Media S.A.

Año: 2019 vol. 13

1662-5102

he avian retina is composed of different types of photoreceptors responsible for image and non-image forming tasks: the visual photoreceptor cells (cones and rods), the melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photoresponsive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) and horizontal cells. Furthermore, the non-visual opsins Opn3 (encephalopsin/panaopsin) and Opn5 (neuropsin) have been shown to be expressed in the vertebrate inner retina, responding to blue (BL) and UV light, respectively. Here we investigated the expression and localization of Opn3 and Opn5 in the developing chick retina at different embryonic days (E) as well as in primary cultures of retinal Müller glial cells (MCs). Opn3 and Opn5 mRNAs and proteins appeared as early as E10 although traces of Opn3- and Opn5-like proteins were seen earlier by E7 in the forming RGC layer and in glial cells extending throughout the developing nuclear layer. Later on, at postnatal days 1?10 (PN1?10) a significant expression of Opn3 was observed in inne