DENDRITES OF ROD DOMINANT ON-BIPOLAR CELLS ARE COUPLED BY GAP-JUNCTIONS IN CARP RETINA

Gap junctions are supposed to be the anatomical substrate for electric al coupling between neurons. In fish retina, bipolar cells are electri cally coupled and their receptive field diameters are always larger th an dendritic field size, however, gap junctions have not been describe d between dendrites of bipolar cells. In this paper, using immunostain ing for protein kinase C, we show that every rod dominant ON-bipolar c ell is connected with its neighboring dendrites by gap junctions formi ng a plexus in the outer plexiform layer. These dendritic processes pr ovide the site of electrical coupling. We suggest that dendrites of bi polar cells could be involved in lateral pathways in retina.