Immunocytochemical localization of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II isoforms in the ganglion cells of the rat retina: immunofluorescence histochemistry combined with a fluorescent retrograde tracer.

To determine whether or not calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) is localized in the ganglion cells in the rat retina, we labeled ganglion cells by injection of Fast blue (FB) into the lateral geniculate nucleus and then stained the retina immunohistochemically with monoclonal antibodies which react specifically with the alpha and beta isoforms of CaM kinase II. Eighty and 90% of the FB-labeled ganglion cells in the ganglion cell layer were immunoreactive with the alpha and beta antibodies, respectively, suggesting that both alpha and beta isoforms of CaM kinase II are expressed in most ganglion cells which project to the lateral geniculate nucleus.