Glial (Müller) cells take up and phosphorylate [3H]2-deoxy-D-glucose in mammalian retina.

[3H]2-Deoxy-D-glucose-6-PO4 ([3H]2DG-6P) was visualised at the level of single cells in freeze-dried guinea pig retinal sections by in vitro light microscopic autoradiography after incubation with [3H]2-deoxy-D-glucose ([3H]2DG). In the dark, autoradiographs revealed heterogeneous labeling within individual retinal layers. Labeling, representing [3H]2DG-6P, was preferentially located over Müller (glial) cells. Labelling over identified neurones in the inner nuclear layer, in contrast, was scarce and over ganglion cells was exceptional. Our observations indicate that Müller cells in the mammalian retina phosphorylate [3H]2DG to [3H]2DG-6P, the first step in glycolysis.