Starburst Amacrine Cell
Starburst amacrine cells, also referred to as SAC, SBAC, or cholinergic neurons, are a specific subset of amacrine cells present in the retina. Generally speaking, amacrine cells function by affecting the output from bipolar cells. Each of the ~40 subtypes of amacrine cells connects with a particular type of bipolar cell and typically each subtype secretes a particular neurotransmitter. Starburst amacrine cells are noteworthy for being the only cells in the retina to secrete two different kinds of neurotransmitter, the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and acetylcholine (ACh). [1]
Contents
Physiology
Visual response properties
Cellular biophysics
Anatomy
Location
Shape
Connections
Molecules
History
In 1976, it was first discovered that there were cells in the rabbit retina that secreted acetylcholine. The most likely candidates were bipolar cells and amacrine cells. Later that same year, it was shown that ganglion cells formed the postsynaptic component of that connection.
