Immunocytochemistry was used to reveal a population of bipolar cells that c
ontain gamma-atrial natriuretic peptide 1-25 (gamma-ANP) in turtle retina.
This same antibody was also used in rat retina as a comparative control. Th
e retinas were examined by both conventional light microscopy and confocal
microscopy with double-labeling to determine whether protein kinase C-alpha
-like immunoreactivity (PKC-alpha-LI) was colocalized with the gamma-ANP-LI
. Some thick sections of turtle retina immunostained with only the gamma-AN
P antibody were also examined by electron microscopy. In rat, a subpopulati
on of bipolar cells with axons terminating close to the ganglion cell layer
was labeled. Double-labeling experiments indicated that the gamma-ANP-LI a
nd PKC-alpha-LI were colocalized in rat retina, and thus all the bipolar ce
lls with gamma-ANP-LI were rod bipolar cells. In turtle, the gamma-ANP anti
body labeled certain bipolar cells that were characterized by bistratified
axon terminals arborizing on the borders of strata S2/3 and S3/4 in the inn
er plexiform layer (IPL). Double labeling with PKC-alpha antibody indicated
that bipolar cells with gamma-ANP-LI were not the same bipolar cell types
with PKC-alpha-LI. Thus, gamma-ANP-LI appears to be a new marker for a dist
inct type of bipolar cell in turtle retina. At the ultrastructural level, t
he gamma-ANP-LI was visible throughout the cytoplasm of the bipolar cells f
rom dendrites to axon terminals. In the outer plexiform layer (OPL), labele
d dendrites contacted photoreceptor pedicles almost exclusively at narrow-c
left basal junctions, but infrequently formed the central element at a phot
oreceptor ribbon synapse. In the IPL, axon terminals with gamma-ANP-LI made
ribbon synapses onto a combination of amacrine and ganglion cells. Since n
arrow-cleft basal junctions and photoreceptor ribbon-related junctions are
known to be associated with ON-center bipolar cells in turtle, and since th
e axon terminals of bipolars with gamma-ANP-LI stratify primarily in the ON
-strata of the IPL, we suggest that these cells are likely to be ON-center
cells. It is possible that the gamma-ANP may be involved in regulating the
activity of Na+/K+ ATPase or in the modulation of cGMP levels.