Abstract
The vertebrate ciliary ganglion (CG) is a relay station in the parasympathetic pathway activating the iris sphincter and ciliary muscle to mediate pupillary constriction and lens accommodation, respectively. While the postganglionic motoneurons in the CG are cholinergic, as are their inputs, there is evidence from avian studies that GABA may also be involved. Here, we used light and electron microscopic methods to examine the GABAergic innervation of the CG in Macaca fascicularis monkeys. Immunohistochemistry for the gamma aminobutyric acid synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) revealed that all CG neurons are contacted by ChAT-positive terminals. A subpopulation of 17.5% of CG neurons was associated with terminal boutons expressing GAD-immunoreactivity in addition. Double-labeling for GAD and synaptophysin confirmed that these were synaptic terminals. Electron microscopic analysis in conjunction with GABA-immunogold staining showed that (1) GAD-positive terminals mainly target dendrites and spines in the perisomatic neuropil of CG neurons; (2) GABA is restricted to a specific terminal type, which displays intermediate features lying between classically excitatory and inhibitory endings; and (3) if a CG neuron is contacted by GABA-positive terminals, virtually all perisomatic terminals supplying it show GABA immunoreactivity. The source of this GABAergic input and whether GABA contributes to a specific CG function remains to be investigated. Nevertheless, our data indicate that the innervation of the ciliary ganglion is more complex than previously thought, and that GABA may play a neuromodulatory role in the control of lens or pupil function. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1517-1531, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.