TAURINE-INDUCED REGENERATION OF GOLDFISH RETINA IN CULTURE MAY INVOLVE A CALCIUM-MEDIATED MECHANISM

A possible mechanism of action of taurine as a trophic substance was s tudied in goldfish retina by investigating the effect of extracellular and intracellular calcium chelators on in vitro outgrowth, and the ef fect of taurine on calcium influx into postcrush retinal cells in cult ure. The amino acid stimulated the outgrowth from goldfish retinal exp lants, an effect that was blocked by EGTA and 1,2-bis (o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid methyl ester (BAPTA). The influx of calcium into cultured cells from postcrush retina was increased by tau rine by day 5 in culture, but not by day 10, supporting previous resul ts indicating a critical period in which taurine stimulates outgrowth. The present results suggest thai taurine partially exerts its regener ative effect on postcrush retinal explants by increasing calcium influ x.