A Szentágothai János Kutatóközpont a PTE korszerű, nemzetközi tudományszervezési és menedzsment normák szerint kialakított új intézménye, amely az élettudományi, élettelen természettudományi, valamint környezettudományi oktatás...
The group's primary research interests include the structure and function of neuronal networks in the mammalian retina, the flow of information through parallel channels in the visual system, and the image encoding mechanisms in the retina and retinorecipient brain areas. Our research places a particular emphasis on the function of electrical synapses, with a focus on those maintained by the output ganglion cells of the retina. Previously, electrical synapses have been described as playing a pivotal role in the synchronization of ganglion cell activity, which is thus thought to be responsible for the formation of the population code, as it is commonly referred to. Our research on ganglion cell electrical synapses thus elucidates the manner in which this population activity encodes various image features. Furthermore, the potential interplay between electrical and chemical synaptic signal transmission is investigated. Recently, experimental findings on visual encoding were integrated with assessments conducted via a neuromorphic retinal model. This methodology not only offers insights into the functional organization of the mammalian retina but also serves as a valuable guide for the refinement and/or development of algorithms that are beneficial for next-generation retinal implants, bionic eyes in robotics, unmanned vehicles, and devices for extended/augmented reality systems.
Retinal electrical synapses team:
Szarka, G., Ganczer, A., Balogh, M., Tengölics, J.Á., Futácsi, A., Kenyon, G., Pan, F., Kovacs-Öller, T., Völgyi, B. (2024) Gap junctions fine-tune ganglion cell signals to equalize response kinetics within a given electrically coupled array. iScience 27: 110099.
Chhatwal S, Antony H, Lamei S, Kovács-Öller T, Klettner AK, Zille M. A systematic review of the cell death mechanisms in retinal pigment epithelium cells and photoreceptors after subretinal hemorrhage - Implications for treatment options. Biomed Pharmacother. 2023 Sep 22;167:115572. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115572. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37742603.
Kovács-Öller T, Szarka G, Hoffmann G, Péntek L, Valentin G, Ross L, Völgyi B. Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors Determine Expression Levels of Gap Junction- Forming Connexins in the Mammalian Retina. Biomolecules. 2023 Jul 13;13(7):1119. doi: 10.3390/biom13071119. PMID: 37509155; PMCID: PMC10377540.
Kovács-Öller T, Völgyi B. Molecular Mechanisms of Retinal Degeneration and How to Avoid It. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 15;24(10):8752. doi: 10.3390/ijms24108752. PMID: 37240098; PMCID: PMC10218442.
Kovács-Öller T, Zempléni R, Balogh B, Szarka G, Fazekas B, Tengölics ÁJ, Amrein K, Czeiter E, Hernádi I, Büki A, Völgyi B. Traumatic Brain Injury Induces Microglial and Caspase3 Activation in the Retina. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 23;24(5):4451. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054451. PMID: 36901880; PMCID: PMC10003323.
Kovács-Öller T, Dedek K, Hillier D. Editorial: Visual code: From the retina to the brain. Front Cell Neurosci. 2022 Sep 14;16:1018229. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1018229. PMID: 36187292; PMCID: PMC9516390.
Ganczer A, Szarka G, Balogh M, Hoffmann G, Tengölics ÁJ, Kenyon G, Kovács- Öller T, Völgyi B. Transience of the Retinal Output Is Determined by a Great Variety of Circuit Elements. Cells. 2022 Feb 25;11(5):810. doi: 10.3390/cells11050810. PMID: 35269432; PMCID: PMC8909309.
Balogh B, Szarka G, Tengölics ÁJ, Hoffmann G, Völgyi B, Kovács-Öller T. LED-Induced Microglial Activation and Rise in Caspase3 Suggest a Reorganization in the Retina. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Sep 27;22(19):10418. doi: 10.3390/ijms221910418. PMID: 34638759; PMCID: PMC8508983.
Fusz K, Kovács-Öller T, Kóbor P, Szabó-Meleg E, Völgyi B, Buzás P, Telkes I. Regional Variation of Gap Junctional Connections in the Mammalian Inner Retina. Cells. 2021 Sep 12;10(9):2396. doi: 10.3390/cells10092396. PMID: 34572046; PMCID: PMC8466939.
Szarka G, Balogh M, Tengölics ÁJ, Ganczer A, Völgyi B, Kovács-Öller T. The role of gap junctions in cell death and neuromodulation in the retina. Neural Regen Res. 2021 Oct;16(10):1911-1920. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.308069. PMID: 33642359; PMCID: PMC8343308.
Völgyi B. Molecular Biology of Retinal Ganglion Cells. Cells. 2020 Nov 15;9(11):2483. doi: 10.3390/cells9112483. PMID: 33203148; PMCID: PMC7697858.
Wang Q, Banerjee S, So C, Qiu C, Lam HC, Tse D, Völgyi B, Pan F. Unmasking inhibition prolongs neuronal function in retinal degeneration mouse model. FASEB J. 2020 Nov;34(11):15282-15299. doi: 10.1096/fj.202001315RR. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 32985731.
Kovacs-Oller T, Ivanova E, Bianchimano P, Sagdullaev BT. The pericyte connectome: spatial precision of neurovascular coupling is driven by selective connectivity maps of pericytes and endothelial cells and is disrupted in diabetes. Cell Discov 6, 39 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41421-020-0180-0
Kovács-Öller T, Ivanova E, Szarka G, Tengölics ÁJ, Völgyi B, Sagdullaev BT. Imatinib Sets Pericyte Mosaic in the Retina. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 5;21(7):2522. doi: 10.3390/ijms21072522. PMID: 32260484; PMCID: PMC7177598.
Kovács-Öller T, Szarka G, Tengölics ÁJ, Ganczer A, Balogh B, Szabó-Meleg E, Nyitrai M, Völgyi B. Spatial Expression Pattern of the Major Ca2+-Buffer Proteins in Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells. Cells. 2020 Mar 25;9(4):792. doi: 10.3390/cells9040792. PMID: 32218175; PMCID: PMC7226302.
Tengölics ÁJ, Szarka G, Ganczer A, Szabó-Meleg E, Nyitrai M, Kovács-Öller T, Völgyi B. Response Latency Tuning by Retinal Circuits Modulates Signal Efficiency. Sci Rep. 2019 Oct 22;9(1):15110. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-51756-y. PMID: 31641196; PMCID: PMC6806000.
Völgyi B, Kenyon GT, Marshak DW, Sagdullaev B. Editorial: Encoding Visual Features by Parallel Ganglion Cell Initiated Pathways in the Healthy, Diseased and Artificial Retina. Front Cell Neurosci. 2019 May 24;13:229. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00229. PMID: 31178700; PMCID: PMC6542953.
Telkes I, Kóbor P, Orbán J, Kovács-Öller T, Völgyi B, Buzás P. Connexin-36 distribution and layer-specific topography in the cat retina. Brain Struct Funct. 2019 Jul;224(6):2183-2197. doi: 10.1007/s00429-019-01876-y. Epub 2019 Jun 6. PMID: 31172263; PMCID: PMC6591202.
Kovács-Öller T, Szarka G, Ganczer A, Tengölics Á, Balogh B, Völgyi B. Expression of Ca2+-Binding Buffer Proteins in the Human and Mouse Retinal Neurons. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 May 7;20(9):2229. doi: 10.3390/ijms20092229. PMID: 31067641; PMCID: PMC6539911.
Kántor O, Szarka G, Benkő Z, Somogyvári Z, Pálfi E, Baksa G, Rácz G, Nitschke R, Debertin G, Völgyi B. Strategic Positioning of Connexin36 Gap Junctions Across Human Retinal Ganglion Cell Dendritic Arbors. Front Cell Neurosci. 2018 Nov 22;12:409. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00409. PMID: 30524239; PMCID: PMC6262005.
Ganczer A, Balogh M, Albert L, Debertin G, Kovács-Öller T, Völgyi B. Transiency of retinal ganglion cell action potential responses determined by PSTH time constant. PLoS One. 2017 Sep 12;12(9):e0183436. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183436. PMID: 28898257; PMCID: PMC5595288.
Kovács-Öller T, Debertin G, Balogh M, Ganczer A, Orbán J, Nyitrai M, Balogh L, Kántor O, Völgyi B. Connexin36 Expression in the Mammalian Retina: A Multiple-Species Comparison. Front Cell Neurosci. 2017 Mar 9;11:65. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00065. PMID: 28337128; PMCID: PMC5343066.
Kántor O, Varga A, Nitschke R, Naumann A, Énzsöly A, Lukáts Á, Szabó A, Németh J, Völgyi B. Bipolar cell gap junctions serve major signaling pathways in the human retina. Brain Struct Funct. 2017 Aug;222(6):2603-2624. doi: 10.1007/s00429-016-1360-4. Epub 2017 Jan 10. PMID: 28070649.
Pan F, Toychiev A, Zhang Y, Atlasz T, Ramakrishnan H, Roy K, Völgyi B, Akopian A, Bloomfield SA. Inhibitory masking controls the threshold sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells. J Physiol. 2016 Nov 15;594(22):6679-6699. doi: 10.1113/JP272267. Epub 2016 Aug 2. PMID: 27350405; PMCID: PMC5108909.
Kántor O, Mezey S, Adeghate J, Naumann A, Nitschke R, Énzsöly A, Szabó A, Lukáts Á, Németh J, Somogyvári Z, Völgyi B. Calcium buffer proteins are specific markers of human retinal neurons. Cell Tissue Res. 2016 Jul;365(1):29-50. doi: 10.1007/s00441-016-2376-z. Epub 2016 Feb 22. PMID: 26899253.
Kántor O, Cserpán D, Völgyi B, Lukáts Á, Somogyvári Z. The Retinal TNAP. Subcell Biochem. 2015;76:107-23. doi: 10.1007/978-94-017-7197-9_6. PMID: 26219709.
Kántor O, Benkő Z, Énzsöly A, Dávid C, Naumann A, Nitschke R, Szabó A, Pálfi E, Orbán J, Nyitrai M, Németh J, Szél Á, Lukáts Á, Völgyi B. Characterization of connexin36 gap junctions in the human outer retina. Brain Struct Funct. 2016 Jul;221(6):2963-84. doi: 10.1007/s00429-015-1082-z. Epub 2015 Jul 15. PMID: 26173976.
Debertin G, Kántor O, Kovács-Öller T, Balogh L, Szabó-Meleg E, Orbán J, Nyitrai M, Völgyi B. Tyrosine hydroxylase positive perisomatic rings are formed around various amacrine cell types in the mammalian retina. J Neurochem. 2015 Aug;134(3):416-28. doi: 10.1111/jnc.13144. Epub 2015 Jun 3. PMID: 25940543.
Kántor O, Varga A, Tóth R, Énzsöly A, Pálfi E, Kovács-Öller T, Nitschke R, Szél Á, Székely A, Völgyi B, Négyessy L, Somogyvári Z, Lukáts Á. Stratified organization and disorganization of inner plexiform layer revealed by TNAP activity in healthy and diabetic rat retina. Cell Tissue Res. 2015 Feb;359(2):409-421. doi: 10.1007/s00441-014-2047-x. Epub 2014 Nov 20. PMID: 25411053.
Kovács-Öller T, Raics K, Orbán J, Nyitrai M, Völgyi B. Developmental changes in the expression level of connexin36 in the rat retina. Cell Tissue Res. 2014 Nov;358(2):289-302. doi: 10.1007/s00441-014-1967-9. Epub 2014 Aug 12. PMID: 25110193.
Akopian A, Atlasz T, Pan F, Wong S, Zhang Y, Völgyi B, Paul DL, Bloomfield SA. Gap junction-mediated death of retinal neurons is connexin and insult specific: a potential target for neuroprotection. J Neurosci. 2014 Aug 6;34(32):10582-91. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1912-14.2014. PMID: 25100592; PMCID: PMC4200109.
Kántor O, Varga A, Kovács-Öller T, Énzsöly A, Balogh L, Baksa G, Szepessy Z, Fonta C, Roe AW, Nitschke R, Szél Á, Négyessy L, Völgyi B, Lukáts Á. TNAP activity is localized at critical sites of retinal neurotransmission across various vertebrate species. Cell Tissue Res. 2014 Oct;358(1):85-98. doi: 10.1007/s00441-014-1944-3. Epub 2014 Jul 3. PMID: 24988913.
Völgyi B, Pan F, Paul DL, Wang JT, Huberman AD, Bloomfield SA. Gap junctions are essential for generating the correlated spike activity of neighboring retinal ganglion cells. PLoS One. 2013 Jul 23;8(7):e69426. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069426. PMID: 23936012; PMCID: PMC3720567.
Retinal signalization team:
Denes V, Lukats A, Szarka G, Subicz R, Mester A, Kovacs-Valasek A, Geck P, Berta G, Herczeg R, Postyeni E, Gyenesei A, Gabriel R. Long-term Effects of the pituitary-adenylate cyclase-activating Polypeptide (PACAP38) in the Adult Mouse Retina: Microglial Activation and Induction of Neural Proliferation. Neurochem Res. 2023 Nov;48(11):3430-3446. doi: 10.1007/s11064-023-03989-7. Epub 2023 Jul 19. PMID: 37466802; PMCID: PMC10514177.
Kovács-Valasek A, Rák T, Pöstyéni E, Csutak A, Gábriel R. Three Major Causes of Metabolic Retinal Degenerations and Three Ways to Avoid Them. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 13;24(10):8728. doi: 10.3390/ijms24108728. PMID: 37240082; PMCID: PMC10218427.
Urbán P, Pöstyéni E, Czuni L, Herczeg R, Fekete C, Gábriel R, Kovács-Valasek A. miRNA Profiling of Developing Rat Retina in the First Three Postnatal Weeks. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2023 Aug;43(6):2963-2974. doi: 10.1007/s10571-023-01347-3. Epub 2023 Apr 21. PMID: 37084144; PMCID: PMC10333372.
Pöstyéni E, Ganczer A, Kovács-Valasek A, Gabriel R. Relevance of Peptide Homeostasis in Metabolic Retinal Degenerative Disorders: Curative Potential in Genetically Modified Mice. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 13;12:808315. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.808315. PMID: 35095518; PMCID: PMC8793341.
Pöstyéni E, Szabadfi K, Sétáló G Jr, Gabriel R. A Promising Combination: PACAP and PARP Inhibitor Have Therapeutic Potential in Models of Diabetic and Hypertensive Retinopathies. Cells. 2021 Dec 9;10(12):3470. doi: 10.3390/cells10123470. PMID: 34943979; PMCID: PMC8700737.
Kovács-Valasek A, Pöstyéni E, Dénes V, Mester A, Sétáló G Jr, Gábriel R. Age- Related Alterations of Proteins in Albino Wistar Rat Retina. Cells Tissues Organs. 2021;210(2):135-150. doi: 10.1159/000515447. Epub 2021 Jul 2. PMID: 34218223; PMCID: PMC8315679.
Pöstyéni E, Kovács-Valasek A, Urbán P, Czuni L, Sétáló G Jr, Fekete C, Gabriel R. Profile of miR-23 Expression and Possible Role in Regulation of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase during Postnatal Retinal Development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 30;22(13):7078. doi: 10.3390/ijms22137078. PMID: 34209226; PMCID: PMC8268301.
Pöstyéni E, Kovács-Valasek A, Urbán P, Czuni L, Sétáló G Jr, Fekete C, Gabriel R. Analysis of mir-9 Expression Pattern in Rat Retina during Postnatal Development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Mar 4;22(5):2577. doi: 10.3390/ijms22052577. PMID: 33806574; PMCID: PMC7961372.
Pöstyéni E, Kovács-Valasek A, Dénes V, Mester A, Sétáló G Jr, Gábriel R. PACAP for Retinal Health: Model for Cellular Aging and Rescue. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 5;22(1):444. doi: 10.3390/ijms22010444. PMID: 33466261; PMCID: PMC7796228.
Gábriel R, Pöstyéni E, Dénes V. Neuroprotective Potential of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide in Retinal Degenerations of Metabolic Origin. Front Neurosci. 2019;13:1031. Published 2019 Oct 9. doi:10.3389/fnins.2019.01031
Kovacs K, Vaczy A, Fekete K, Kovari P, Atlasz T, Reglodi D, Gabriel R, Gallyas F, Sumegi B. PARP Inhibitor Protects Against Chronic Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-Induced Retinal Injury by Regulation of MAPKs, HIF1α, Nrf2, and NFκB. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2019 Apr 1;60(5):1478-1490. doi: 10.1167/iovs.18-25936. PMID: 30973576.
Kovács-Valasek A, Szalontai B, Sétáló G Jr, Gábriel R. Sensitive fluorescent hybridisation protocol development for simultaneous detection of microRNA and cellular marker proteins (in the retina). Histochem Cell Biol. 2018 Nov;150(5):557-566. doi: 10.1007/s00418-018-1705-6. Epub 2018 Aug 7. PMID: 30088096; PMCID: PMC6182695.
Kovács-Valasek A, Szabadfi K, Dénes V, Szalontai B, Tamás A, Kiss P, Szabó A, Setalo G Jr, Reglődi D, Gábriel R. Accelerated retinal aging in PACAP knock-out mice. Neuroscience. 2017 Apr 21;348:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.003. Epub 2017 Feb 13. PMID: 28215987.
Lakk M, Denes V, Kovacs K, Hideg O, Szabo BF, Gabriel R. Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Peptide (PACAP), a Novel Secretagogue, Regulates Secreted Morphogens in Newborn Rat Retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017 Jan 1;58(1):565-572. doi: 10.1167/iovs.16-20566. PMID: 28125843.
Hajna Z, Szabadfi K, Balla Z, Biró Z, Degrell P, Molnár GA, Kőszegi T, Tékus V, Helyes Z, Dobos A, Farkas S, Szűcs G, Gábriel R, Pintér E. Modeling long-term diabetes and related complications in rats. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods. 2016 Mar-Apr;78:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.vascn.2015.11.003. Epub 2015 Nov 14. PMID: 26589430.
Szabadfi K, Estrada C, Fernandez-Villalba E, Tarragon E, Setalo G Jr, Izura V, Reglodi D, Tamas A, Gabriel R, Herrero MT. Retinal aging in the diurnal Chilean rodent (Octodon degus): histological, ultrastructural and neurochemical alterations of the vertical information processing pathway. Front Cell Neurosci. 2015 Apr 21;9:126. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00126. PMID: 25954153; PMCID: PMC4405622.
Yi F, Catudio-Garrett E, Gábriel R, Wilhelm M, Erdelyi F, Szabo G, Deisseroth K, Lawrence J. Hippocampal "cholinergic interneurons" visualized with the choline acetyltransferase promoter: anatomical distribution, intrinsic membrane properties, neurochemical characteristics, and capacity for cholinergic modulation. Front Synaptic Neurosci. 2015 Mar 6;7:4. doi: 10.3389/fnsyn.2015.00004. PMID: 25798106; PMCID: PMC4351620.
Dr. Róbert Gábriel: NKFIH119289, National Brain Project KTIA_NAP_13-A-I/12;
Dr. Völgyi Béla: OTKA K105247; National Excellence Program, Szent-Györgyi Albert Senior Researcher Fellowship TÁMOP-4.2.4.A/ 2-11/1-2012-0001; National Brain Project KTIA_NAP_13-2-2015-0008.
Kovács-Öller Tamás: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Tehetségcentruma Fiatal Kiválósága (2019); Szentágothai János Tehetségtámogató Program (2019-2022); PTE, Simonyi Innovációs Díj: CellZeus (2015); Apáczai Csere János Doktoranduszi Ösztöndíj (2013-2014, TÁMOP-4.2.4.A/ 2-11/1-2012-0001); IBRO, In Europe Short Stay Grant: Roska Botond labor, FMI, Basel, Svájc (2013 feb.)
