Revisiting the Molecular Architecture of Photoreceptor Ribbon Synapses Using Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy

Purpose: Immunofluorescence-based mapping of photoreceptor ribbon synapse nanostructure in extended formaldehyde-fixed specimens is challenging due to diffraction-limited resolution and fixation-associated loss of antigen accessibility that restrict reliable molecular localization and structural interpretation. To circumvent these physicochemical limitations, we tested whether ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) could overcome these barriers and enable compartment-resolved structural and molecular analysis of photoreceptor ribbon synapses in archival canine retinal tissues. Methods: Cryosections from non-fixed and formaldehyde-fixed canine retinas were immunolabeled by conventional immunohistochemistry to screen 44 antibodies targeting 29 ribbon synapse-associated proteins. The same antibody set was then evaluated in U-ExM-processed formaldehyde-fixed cryosections. U-ExM datasets were analyzed using multi-orientation visualization, line-profile measurements, and three-dimensional segmentation for ribbon morphometry in mature and developing retinas. Results: Antibody performance differed markedly between non-fixed and formaldehyde-fixed sections, indicating fixation-dependent loss or gain of detectability across targets. U-ExM increased the fraction of compatible antibodies in formaldehyde-fixed tissue and improved effective spatial resolution within synaptic compartments. Multi-orientation visualization refined interpretation of rod spherule architecture and revealed multiple postsynaptic density 95 (PSD-95) subcellular sites of expression, including a postsynaptic pool in horizontal cell axon terminals within the invaginated compartment. U-ExM further enabled subcompartment-level visualization of active zone proteins, extended compartment-resolved mapping to the more complex cone pedicle, and supported quantitative ribbon measurements in mature retina and across postnatal development. Conclusions: U-ExM provides a practical framework for compartment-resolved molecular mapping and quantitative phenotyping of photoreceptor ribbon synapses in formaldehyde-fixed/frozen archival retinal tissue, enabling systematic comparisons across conditions and developmental stages in translational and comparative vision research.