Histamine and its synthesis in mammalian retinas.

Histamine (HA) content and histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity were studied in the sensory retinas of the rat, guinea-pig, rabbit, dog, monkey, bovine and pig. Using a highly sensitive and specific method developed for the determination of histamine using high-performance liquid chromatography, HA was detected in the retinas of all species examined. HA content ranged from 11 (bovine) to 540 pmole/g wet tissue (dog), and HDC activity ranged from 2 (rabbit) to 150 (dog) fmol HA synthesized/min/mg protein. With the exception of the dogs, the retinal values were one order lower than those in the brain in all species examined. The canine retinas had the high HA and HDC values among the species examined, and were approximately equal to those in the brain. However, the ratios of HDC activity to HA content ranged from 0.04/min to 0.51/min. These values resembled those in the brain and were much higher than those in mast cells. This suggests that histamine in the retinas exists mainly in the neurons even though the actual amounts are small and may be involved in the physiological and the pathological responses in mammalian retinas.