To evaluate alterations in the synaptic connectivity between photoreceptors and horizontal cells in the OPL, we performed triple immunostaining studies using markers for photoreceptor axonal terminals, the photoreceptor synaptic ribbon, and horizontal cell processes. Antibodies against the vesicular glutamate transporter type 1 (VGLUT1), which transports glutamate into synaptic vesicles,
32 was used to visualize cone and rod axon terminals. To identify the synaptic ribbon in the photoreceptor axon terminal, antibodies were used to detect the C-terminal binding protein 2 (CtBP2), which is domain B of RIBEYE, a structural protein of synaptic ribbons.
33–35 Antibodies to calbindin were used to visualize horizontal cell processes (
Fig. 7). In the C57BL/6 retina (
Fig. 7A), VGLUT1 immunostaining showed three to four rows of rod spherules in the OPL, and each rod spherule contained a synaptic ribbon, identified by CtBP2 immunoreactive puncta adjacent to the tip of the horizontal cell ending (
Fig. 7A). In 3-month-old DBA/2J retinas (
Fig. 7B), there was a small reduction in the thickness of the OPL compared with the C57BL/6 retinas (
Fig. 7A). The quantification of the number of horizontal cell showed a reduction of 10% compared with C57BL/6 retinas (
Fig. 7G). In 8- and 16-month-old DBA/2J retinas, the loss of connectivity between photoreceptors and horizontal cell endings was evident (
Figs. 7C,
7E). There was a loss of approximately 40% and 48% of the horizontal cell tips at 8 and 16 months, respectively, over the retinal regions with RGCs (
Fig. 7G). In contrast, in outer retinal regions overlying regions of RGC loss (“patches”), at 16 months the decrease in the number of horizontal cell tips was approximately 80% (
Fig. 7G), and only a very few horizontal cell tips, axonal terminals, and photoreceptor ribbons were identified (
Fig. 7F). In addition, at 8 and 16 months, overlying regions where RGCs remain, a few horizontal cell tips were observed in the ONL, indicating growth into the photoreceptor nuclear layer (
Figs. 7C,
7E). No VGLUT1 immunoreactivity was present in the axon terminals (
Figs. 7C,
7E, arrowheads), although the pairs between horizontal cell tips (calbindin, green) and photoreceptor ribbons (CtBP2, red) were still present.