Creatine Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Creatine, including details on supplements, side-effects, benefits, dangers, muscle growth.

Creatine transporter localization in developing and adult retina: importance of creatine to retinal function.

Acosta ML, Kalloniatis M, Christie DL

Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.

Creatine and phosphocreatine are required to maintain ATP needed for normal retinal function and development. The aim of the present study was to determine the distribution of the creatine transporter (CRT) to gain insight to how creatine is transported into the retina. An affinity-purified antibody raised against the CRT was applied to adult vertebrate retinas and to mouse retina during development. Confocal microscopy was used to identify the localization pattern as well as co-localization patterns with a range of retinal neurochemical markers. Strong labeling of the CRT was seen in the photoreceptor inner segments in all species studied and labeling of a variety of inner neuronal cells (amacrine, bipolar, and ganglion cells), the retinal nerve fibers and sites of creatine transport into the retina (retinal pigment epithelium, inner retinal blood vessels, and perivascular astrocytes). The CRT was not expressed in Müller cells of any of the species studied. The lack of labeling of Müller cells suggests that neurons are independent of this glial cell in accumulating creatine. During mouse retinal development, expression of the CRT progressively increased throughout the retina until approximately postnatal day 10, with a subsequent decrease. Comparison of the distribution patterns of the CRT in vascular and avascular vertebrate retinas and studies of the mouse retina during development indicate that creatine and phosphocreatine are important for ATP homeostasis.

Published 13 September 2005 in Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 289(4): C1015-23.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Creatine Research Today. All Rights Reserved.