Appearance of cGMP-phosphodiesterase immunoreactivity parallels the morphological differentiation of photoreceptor outer segments in the rat retina

We have investigated by immunofluorescence the appearance of immunoreactive guanosine 3'-5' cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE) during the postnatal development of the retina of the pigmented rat. We show that a sudden increase in immunoreactivity takes place during postnatal day five (P5), when rod outer segments begin to form; immunoreactivity develops rapidly in the following days. Labeling is restricted to the developing photoreceptor outer segments, sparing other retinal cells, as confirmed by electron microscopy immunocytochemistry. In addition, cGMP-PDE immunoreactivity follows a center-to-periphery gradient paralleling photoreceptor differentiation. It appears that cGMP-PDE is expressed when the photoreceptor subcellular compartments are already formed, and represents a specific marker of late photoreceptor differentiation. The appearance of cGMP-PDE during development is temporally correlated with the appearance of other proteins of the phototransduction machinery.