Developmental Regulation of Calcium Channel-Mediated Currents in Retinal Glial (Müller) Cells

Abstract

Whole cell voltage-clamp recordings of freshly isolated cells were used to study changes in the currents through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels during the postnatal development of immature radial glial cells into Müller cells of the rabbit retina. Using Ba2+ or Ca2+ ions as charge carriers, currents through transient low-voltage-activated (LVA) Ca2+ channels were recorded in cells from early postnatal stages, with an activation threshold at −60 mV and a peak current at −25 mV. To increase the amplitude of currents through Ca2+ channels, Na+ ions were used as the main charge carriers, and currents were recorded in divalent cation-free bath solutions. Currents through transient LVA Ca2+ channels were found in all radial glial cells from retinae between postnatal days 2 and 37. The currents activated at potentials positive to −80 mV and displayed a maximum at −40 mV. The amplitude of LVA currents increased during the first postnatal week; after postnatal day 6, the amplitude remained virtually constant. The density of LVA currents was highest at early postnatal days (days 2–5: 13 pA/pF) and decreased to a stable, moderate level within the first three postnatal weeks (3 pA/pF). A significant expression of currents through sustained, high-voltage-activated Ca2+ channels was found after the third postnatal week in ∼25% of the investigated cells. The early and sole expression of transient currents at high-density may suggest that LVA Ca2+ channels are involved in early developmental processes of rabbit Müller cells.