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Qiao M. Deciphering the genetic code of neuronal type connectivity through bilinear modeling. eLife 2024; 12:RP91532. [PMID: 38857169 PMCID: PMC11164534 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding how different neuronal types connect and communicate is critical to interpreting brain function and behavior. However, it has remained a formidable challenge to decipher the genetic underpinnings that dictate the specific connections formed between neuronal types. To address this, we propose a novel bilinear modeling approach that leverages the architecture similar to that of recommendation systems. Our model transforms the gene expressions of presynaptic and postsynaptic neuronal types, obtained from single-cell transcriptomics, into a covariance matrix. The objective is to construct this covariance matrix that closely mirrors a connectivity matrix, derived from connectomic data, reflecting the known anatomical connections between these neuronal types. When tested on a dataset of Caenorhabditis elegans, our model achieved a performance comparable to, if slightly better than, the previously proposed spatial connectome model (SCM) in reconstructing electrical synaptic connectivity based on gene expressions. Through a comparative analysis, our model not only captured all genetic interactions identified by the SCM but also inferred additional ones. Applied to a mouse retinal neuronal dataset, the bilinear model successfully recapitulated recognized connectivity motifs between bipolar cells and retinal ganglion cells, and provided interpretable insights into genetic interactions shaping the connectivity. Specifically, it identified unique genetic signatures associated with different connectivity motifs, including genes important to cell-cell adhesion and synapse formation, highlighting their role in orchestrating specific synaptic connections between these neurons. Our work establishes an innovative computational strategy for decoding the genetic programming of neuronal type connectivity. It not only sets a new benchmark for single-cell transcriptomic analysis of synaptic connections but also paves the way for mechanistic studies of neural circuit assembly and genetic manipulation of circuit wiring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu Qiao
- LinkedInMountain ViewUnited States
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2
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Vita DJ, Orsi FS, Stanko NG, Clark NA, Tiriac A. Development and organization of the retinal orientation selectivity map. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4829. [PMID: 38844438 PMCID: PMC11156980 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Orientation or axial selectivity, the property of neurons in the visual system to respond preferentially to certain angles of visual stimuli, plays a pivotal role in our understanding of visual perception and information processing. This computation is performed as early as the retina, and although much work has established the cellular mechanisms of retinal orientation selectivity, how this computation is organized across the retina is unknown. Using a large dataset collected across the mouse retina, we demonstrate functional organization rules of retinal orientation selectivity. First, we identify three major functional classes of retinal cells that are orientation selective and match previous descriptions. Second, we show that one orientation is predominantly represented in the retina and that this predominant orientation changes as a function of retinal location. Third, we demonstrate that neural activity plays little role on the organization of retinal orientation selectivity. Lastly, we use in silico modeling followed by validation experiments to demonstrate that the overrepresented orientation aligns along concentric axes. These results demonstrate that, similar to direction selectivity, orientation selectivity is organized in a functional map as early as the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic J Vita
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Fernanda S Orsi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Nathan G Stanko
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Natalie A Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Alexandre Tiriac
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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3
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Lohler P, Albert A, Erbsloh A, Nruthyathi, Muller F, Seidl K. A Cell-Type Selective Stimulation and Recording System for Retinal Ganglion Cells. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2024; 18:498-510. [PMID: 38096095 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2023.3342465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Future retinal implants will require a stimulation selectivity between different sub-types of Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) to evoke natural perceptions rather than phosphenes in patients. To achieve this, a cell-type specific stimulation pipeline is required that identifies target RGC sub-types from recorded input images and extracts the specific stimulation parameters to activate this cell-type selectively. Promising biological experiments showed that ON-/OFF- sustained/transient RGCs could be selectively activated by modulating repetition rate and amplitude of an electrical stimulation current in the kilohertz range. This research presents a 42 channel current controlled stimulation and recording system on chip (SoC) with parameter input from a real time target RGC selection algorithm. The SoC is able to stimulate retinal tissue with sinusoidal frequencies higher than 1 kHz at amplitudes of up to 200 μA at a supply voltage of 1.8 V. It also includes tunable recording units with an integrated action potential detection pipeline that are able to amplify signals between 1 Hz and 50 kHz. The required area of one stimulator is 0.0071 mm2, while one recording unit consumes an area of 0.0092 mm2. The application of sinusoidal stimulation currents in the kilohertz range towards retinal tissue leads to a suppressive response of only certain RGC sub-types that has not been oberved before, using electrical stimulation. Because this response is very similar to the natural light response of RGCs, this stimulation approach can lead to a more genuine visual perception for patients using retinal implants.
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4
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Toma K, Zhao M, Zhang S, Wang F, Graham HK, Zou J, Modgil S, Shang WH, Tsai NY, Cai Z, Liu L, Hong G, Kriegstein AR, Hu Y, Körbelin J, Zhang R, Liao YJ, Kim TN, Ye X, Duan X. Perivascular neurons instruct 3D vascular lattice formation via neurovascular contact. Cell 2024; 187:2767-2784.e23. [PMID: 38733989 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
The vasculature of the central nervous system is a 3D lattice composed of laminar vascular beds interconnected by penetrating vessels. The mechanisms controlling 3D lattice network formation remain largely unknown. Combining viral labeling, genetic marking, and single-cell profiling in the mouse retina, we discovered a perivascular neuronal subset, annotated as Fam19a4/Nts-positive retinal ganglion cells (Fam19a4/Nts-RGCs), directly contacting the vasculature with perisomatic endfeet. Developmental ablation of Fam19a4/Nts-RGCs led to disoriented growth of penetrating vessels near the ganglion cell layer (GCL), leading to a disorganized 3D vascular lattice. We identified enriched PIEZO2 expression in Fam19a4/Nts-RGCs. Piezo2 loss from all retinal neurons or Fam19a4/Nts-RGCs abolished the direct neurovascular contacts and phenocopied the Fam19a4/Nts-RGC ablation deficits. The defective vascular structure led to reduced capillary perfusion and sensitized the retina to ischemic insults. Furthermore, we uncovered a Piezo2-dependent perivascular granule cell subset for cerebellar vascular patterning, indicating neuronal Piezo2-dependent 3D vascular patterning in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichi Toma
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mengya Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shaobo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hannah K Graham
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jun Zou
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shweta Modgil
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Wenhao H Shang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicole Y Tsai
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zhishun Cai
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Guiying Hong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Arnold R Kriegstein
- Department of Neurology and The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jakob Körbelin
- ENDomics Lab, Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ruobing Zhang
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, China
| | - Yaping Joyce Liao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Tyson N Kim
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xin Ye
- Department of Discovery Oncology, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Physiology and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Veale R, Takahashi M. Pathways for Naturalistic Looking Behavior in Primate II. Superior Colliculus Integrates Parallel Top-down and Bottom-up Inputs. Neuroscience 2024; 545:86-110. [PMID: 38484836 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Volitional signals for gaze control are provided by multiple parallel pathways converging on the midbrain superior colliculus (SC), whose deeper layers output to the brainstem gaze circuits. In the first of two papers (Takahashi and Veale, 2023), we described the properties of gaze behavior of several species under both laboratory and natural conditions, as well as the current understanding of the brainstem and spinal cord circuits implementing gaze control in primate. In this paper, we review the parallel pathways by which sensory and task information reaches SC and how these sensory and task signals interact within SC's multilayered structure. This includes both bottom-up (world statistics) signals mediated by sensory cortex, association cortex, and subcortical structures, as well as top-down (goal and task) influences which arrive via either direct excitatory pathways from cerebral cortex, or via indirect basal ganglia relays resulting in inhibition or dis-inhibition as appropriate for alternative behaviors. Models of attention such as saliency maps serve as convenient frameworks to organize our understanding of both the separate computations of each neural pathway, as well as the interaction between the multiple parallel pathways influencing gaze. While the spatial interactions between gaze's neural pathways are relatively well understood, the temporal interactions between and within pathways will be an important area of future study, requiring both improved technical methods for measurement and improvement of our understanding of how temporal dynamics results in the observed spatiotemporal allocation of gaze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Veale
- Department of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
| | - Mayu Takahashi
- Department of Systems Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
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6
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Tworig JM, Morrie RD, Bistrong K, Somaiya RD, Hsu S, Liang J, Cornejo KG, Feller MB. Differential Expression Analysis Identifies Candidate Synaptogenic Molecules for Wiring Direction-Selective Circuits in the Retina. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1461232024. [PMID: 38514178 PMCID: PMC11063823 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1461-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
An organizational feature of neural circuits is the specificity of synaptic connections. A striking example is the direction-selective (DS) circuit of the retina. There are multiple subtypes of DS retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs) that prefer motion along one of four preferred directions. This computation is mediated by selective wiring of a single inhibitory interneuron, the starburst amacrine cell (SAC), with each DSGC subtype preferentially receiving input from a subset of SAC processes. We hypothesize that the molecular basis of this wiring is mediated in part by unique expression profiles of DSGC subtypes. To test this, we first performed paired recordings from isolated mouse retinas of both sexes to determine that postnatal day 10 (P10) represents the age at which asymmetric synapses form. Second, we performed RNA sequencing and differential expression analysis on isolated P10 ON-OFF DSGCs tuned for either nasal or ventral motion and identified candidates which may promote direction-specific wiring. We then used a conditional knock-out strategy to test the role of one candidate, the secreted synaptic organizer cerebellin-4 (Cbln4), in the development of DS tuning. Using two-photon calcium imaging, we observed a small deficit in directional tuning among ventral-preferring DSGCs lacking Cbln4, though whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings did not identify a significant change in inhibitory inputs. This suggests that Cbln4 does not function primarily via a cell-autonomous mechanism to instruct wiring of DS circuits. Nevertheless, our transcriptomic analysis identified unique candidate factors for gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms that instruct wiring specificity in the DS circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Tworig
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Ryan D Morrie
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Karina Bistrong
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Rachana D Somaiya
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Shaw Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Jocelyn Liang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Karen G Cornejo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
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7
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Li X, Sedlacek M, Nath A, Szatko KP, Grimes WN, Diamond JS. A metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist enhances visual signal fidelity in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591881. [PMID: 38746092 PMCID: PMC11092665 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Many inherited retinal diseases target photoreceptors, which transduce light into a neural signal that is processed by the downstream visual system. As photoreceptors degenerate, physiological and morphological changes to retinal synapses and circuitry reduce sensitivity and increase noise, degrading visual signal fidelity. Here, we pharmacologically targeted the first synapse in the retina in an effort to reduce circuit noise without sacrificing visual sensitivity. We tested a strategy to partially replace the neurotransmitter lost when photoreceptors die with an agonist of receptors that ON bipolars cells use to detect glutamate released from photoreceptors. In rd10 mice, which express a photoreceptor mutation that causes retinitis pigmentosa (RP), we found that a low dose of the mGluR6 agonist l-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) reduced pathological noise induced by photoreceptor degeneration. After making in vivo electroretinogram recordings in rd10 mice to characterize the developmental time course of visual signal degeneration, we examined effects of L-AP4 on sensitivity and circuit noise by recording in vitro light-evoked responses from individual retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). L-AP4 decreased circuit noise evident in RGC recordings without significantly reducing response amplitudes, an effect that persisted over the entire time course of rod photoreceptor degeneration. Subsequent in vitro recordings from rod bipolar cells (RBCs) showed that RBCs are more depolarized in rd10 retinas, likely contributing to downstream circuit noise and reduced synaptic gain, both of which appear to be ameliorated by hyperpolarizing RBCs with L-AP4. These beneficial effects may reduce pathological circuit remodeling and preserve the efficacy of therapies designed to restore vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Li
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA 21218
| | - Miloslav Sedlacek
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
| | - Amurta Nath
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
| | - Klaudia P. Szatko
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
| | - William N. Grimes
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
| | - Jeffrey S. Diamond
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892
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Aranda ML, Bhoi JD, Parra OAP, Lee SK, Yamada T, Yang Y, Schmidt TM. Genetic tuning of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell subtype identity to drive visual behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.590656. [PMID: 38712084 PMCID: PMC11071530 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.590656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The melanopsin-expressing, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) comprise a subset of the ∼40 retinal ganglion cell types in the mouse retina and drive a diverse array of light-evoked behaviors from circadian photoentrainment to pupil constriction to contrast sensitivity for visual perception. Central to the ability of ipRGCs to control this diverse array of behaviors is the distinct complement of morphophysiological features and gene expression patterns found in the M1-M6 ipRGC subtypes. However, the genetic regulatory programs that give rise to subtypes of ipRGCs are unknown. Here, we identify the transcription factor Brn3b (Pou4f2) as a key genetic regulator that shapes the unique functions of ipRGC subtypes and their diverse downstream visual behaviors.
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Ma J, Chu TK, Polo Prieto M, Park Y, Li Y, Chen R, Mardon G, Frankfort BJ, Tran NM. Sample multiplexing for retinal single-cell RNA-sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.589797. [PMID: 38712294 PMCID: PMC11071429 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.589797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Rare cell populations can be challenging to characterize using microfluidic single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) platforms. Typically, the population of interest must be enriched and pooled from multiple biological specimens for efficient collection. However, these practices preclude the resolution of sample origin together with phenotypic data and are problematic in experiments in which biological or technical variation is expected to be high (e.g., disease models, genetic perturbation screens, or human samples). One solution is sample multiplexing whereby each sample is tagged with a unique sequence barcode that is resolved bioinformatically. We have established a scRNA-seq sample multiplexing pipeline for mouse retinal ganglion cells using cholesterol-modified-oligos and utilized the enhanced precision to investigate cell type distribution and transcriptomic variance across retinal samples. As single cell transcriptomics are becoming more widely used to research development and disease, sample multiplexing represents a useful method to enhance the precision of scRNA-seq analysis.
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Corna A, Cojocaru AE, Bui MT, Werginz P, Zeck G. Avoidance of axonal stimulation with sinusoidal epiretinal stimulation. J Neural Eng 2024; 21:026036. [PMID: 38547529 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ad38de] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Objective.Neuromodulation, particularly electrical stimulation, necessitates high spatial resolution to achieve artificial vision with high acuity. In epiretinal implants, this is hindered by the undesired activation of distal axons. Here, we investigate focal and axonal activation of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in epiretinal configuration for different sinusoidal stimulation frequencies.Approach.RGC responses to epiretinal sinusoidal stimulation at frequencies between 40 and 100 Hz were tested inex-vivophotoreceptor degenerated (rd10) isolated retinae. Experiments were conducted using a high-density CMOS-based microelectrode array, which allows to localize RGC cell bodies and axons at high spatial resolution.Main results.We report current and charge density thresholds for focal and distal axon activation at stimulation frequencies of 40, 60, 80, and 100 Hz for an electrode size with an effective area of 0.01 mm2. Activation of distal axons is avoided up to a stimulation amplitude of 0.23µA (corresponding to 17.3µC cm-2) at 40 Hz and up to a stimulation amplitude of 0.28µA (14.8µC cm-2) at 60 Hz. The threshold ratio between focal and axonal activation increases from 1.1 for 100 Hz up to 1.6 for 60 Hz, while at 40 Hz stimulation frequency, almost no axonal responses were detected in the tested intensity range. With the use of synaptic blockers, we demonstrate the underlying direct activation mechanism of the ganglion cells. Finally, using high-resolution electrical imaging and label-free electrophysiological axon tracking, we demonstrate the extent of activation in axon bundles.Significance.Our results can be exploited to define a spatially selective stimulation strategy avoiding axonal activation in future retinal implants, thereby solving one of the major limitations of artificial vision. The results may be extended to other fields of neuroprosthetics to achieve selective focal electrical stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Corna
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Mai Thu Bui
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul Werginz
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
| | - Günther Zeck
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
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Friedrichsen K, Hsiang JC, Lin CI, McCoy L, Valkova K, Kerschensteiner D, Morgan JL. Subcellular pathways through VGluT3-expressing mouse amacrine cells provide locally tuned object-motion-selective signals in the retina. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2965. [PMID: 38580652 PMCID: PMC10997783 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46996-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
VGluT3-expressing mouse retinal amacrine cells (VG3s) respond to small-object motion and connect to multiple types of bipolar cells (inputs) and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs, outputs). Because these input and output connections are intermixed on the same dendrites, making sense of VG3 circuitry requires comparing the distribution of synapses across their arbors to the subcellular flow of signals. Here, we combine subcellular calcium imaging and electron microscopic connectomic reconstruction to analyze how VG3s integrate and transmit visual information. VG3s receive inputs from all nearby bipolar cell types but exhibit a strong preference for the fast type 3a bipolar cells. By comparing input distributions to VG3 dendrite responses, we show that VG3 dendrites have a short functional length constant that likely depends on inhibitory shunting. This model predicts that RGCs that extend dendrites into the middle layers of the inner plexiform encounter VG3 dendrites whose responses vary according to the local bipolar cell response type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl Friedrichsen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Jen-Chun Hsiang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Chin-I Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Liam McCoy
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Katia Valkova
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Josh L Morgan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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12
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Vita DJ, Orsi FS, Stanko NG, Clark NA, Tiriac A. Development and Organization of the Retinal Orientation Selectivity Map. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.27.585774. [PMID: 38585937 PMCID: PMC10996665 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.585774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Orientation or axial selectivity, the property of neurons in the visual system to respond preferentially to certain angles of a visual stimuli, plays a pivotal role in our understanding of visual perception and information processing. This computation is performed as early as the retina, and although much work has established the cellular mechanisms of retinal orientation selectivity, how this computation is organized across the retina is unknown. Using a large dataset collected across the mouse retina, we demonstrate functional organization rules of retinal orientation selectivity. First, we identify three major functional classes of retinal cells that are orientation selective and match previous descriptions. Second, we show that one orientation is predominantly represented in the retina and that this predominant orientation changes as a function of retinal location. Third, we demonstrate that neural activity plays little role on the organization of retinal orientation selectivity. Lastly, we use in silico modeling followed by validation experiments to demonstrate that the overrepresented orientation aligns along concentric axes. These results demonstrate that, similar to direction selectivity, orientation selectivity is organized in a functional map as early as the retina. One Sentence Summary Development and organization of retinal orientation selectivity.
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13
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Wang H, Dey O, Lagos WN, Behnam N, Callaway EM, Stafford BK. Parallel pathways carrying direction-and orientation-selective retinal signals to layer 4 of the mouse visual cortex. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113830. [PMID: 38386556 PMCID: PMC11111173 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Parallel visual pathways from the retina to the primary visual cortex (V1) via the lateral geniculate nucleus are common to many mammalian species, including mice, carnivores, and primates. However, it remains unclear which visual features present in both retina and V1 may be inherited from parallel pathways versus extracted by V1 circuits in the mouse. Here, using calcium imaging and rabies circuit tracing, we explore the relationships between tuning of layer 4 (L4) V1 neurons and their retinal ganglion cell (RGC) inputs. We find that subpopulations of L4 V1 neurons differ in their tuning for direction, orientation, spatial frequency, temporal frequency, and speed. Furthermore, we find that direction-tuned L4 V1 neurons receive input from direction-selective RGCs, whereas orientation-tuned L4 V1 neurons receive input from orientation-selective RGCs. These results suggest that direction and orientation tuning of V1 neurons may be partly inherited from parallel pathways originating in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Wang
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Oyshi Dey
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Willian N Lagos
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Noor Behnam
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Edward M Callaway
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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14
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Vlasits AL, Syeda M, Wickman A, Guzman P, Schmidt TM. Atypical retinal function in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.15.585283. [PMID: 38559003 PMCID: PMC10980068 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.585283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Altered function of peripheral sensory neurons is an emerging mechanism for symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. Visual sensitivities are common in autism, but whether differences in the retina might underlie these sensitivities is not well-understood. We explored retinal function in the Fmr1 knockout model of Fragile X syndrome, focusing on a specific type of retinal neuron, the "sustained On alpha" retinal ganglion cell. We found that these cells exhibit changes in dendritic structure and dampened responses to light in the Fmr1 knockout. We show that decreased light sensitivity is due to increased inhibitory input and reduced E-I balance. The change in E-I balance supports maintenance of circuit excitability similar to what has been observed in cortex. These results show that loss of Fmr1 in the mouse retina affects sensory function of one retinal neuron type. Our findings suggest that the retina may be relevant for understanding visual function in Fragile X syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Vlasits
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA
- Lead contact
| | - Maria Syeda
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Annelise Wickman
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Pedro Guzman
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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15
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Burg MF, Zenkel T, Vystrčilová M, Oesterle J, Höfling L, Willeke KF, Lause J, Müller S, Fahey PG, Ding Z, Restivo K, Sridhar S, Gollisch T, Berens P, Tolias AS, Euler T, Bethge M, Ecker AS. Most discriminative stimuli for functional cell type clustering. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2401.05342v2. [PMID: 38560735 PMCID: PMC10980086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Identifying cell types and understanding their functional properties is crucial for unraveling the mechanisms underlying perception and cognition. In the retina, functional types can be identified by carefully selected stimuli, but this requires expert domain knowledge and biases the procedure towards previously known cell types. In the visual cortex, it is still unknown what functional types exist and how to identify them. Thus, for unbiased identification of the functional cell types in retina and visual cortex, new approaches are needed. Here we propose an optimization-based clustering approach using deep predictive models to obtain functional clusters of neurons using Most Discriminative Stimuli (MDS). Our approach alternates between stimulus optimization with cluster reassignment akin to an expectation-maximization algorithm. The algorithm recovers functional clusters in mouse retina, marmoset retina and macaque visual area V4. This demonstrates that our approach can successfully find discriminative stimuli across species, stages of the visual system and recording techniques. The resulting most discriminative stimuli can be used to assign functional cell types fast and on the fly, without the need to train complex predictive models or show a large natural scene dataset, paving the way for experiments that were previously limited by experimental time. Crucially, MDS are interpretable: they visualize the distinctive stimulus patterns that most unambiguously identify a specific type of neuron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max F Burg
- International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Computer Science and Campus Institute Data Science, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Zenkel
- Institute of Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michaela Vystrčilová
- Institute of Computer Science and Campus Institute Data Science, University of Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan Oesterle
- Institute of Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Larissa Höfling
- Institute of Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Konstantin F Willeke
- International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Computer Science and Campus Institute Data Science, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, Tübingen University, Germany
| | - Jan Lause
- Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sarah Müller
- International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen, Germany
- Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Paul G Fahey
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhiwei Ding
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kelli Restivo
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shashwat Sridhar
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of Ophthalmology, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tim Gollisch
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of Ophthalmology, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Hertie Institute for AI in Brain Health, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas S Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute of Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Bethge
- Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alexander S Ecker
- Institute of Computer Science and Campus Institute Data Science, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Baden T. Ancestral photoreceptor diversity as the basis of visual behaviour. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:374-386. [PMID: 38253752 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02291-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Animal colour vision is based on comparing signals from different photoreceptors. It is generally assumed that processing different spectral types of photoreceptor mainly serves colour vision. Here I propose instead that photoreceptors are parallel feature channels that differentially support visual-motor programmes like motion vision behaviours, prey capture and predator evasion. Colour vision may have emerged as a secondary benefit of these circuits, which originally helped aquatic vertebrates to visually navigate and segment their underwater world. Specifically, I suggest that ancestral vertebrate vision was built around three main systems, including a high-resolution general purpose greyscale system based on ancestral red cones and rods to mediate visual body stabilization and navigation, a high-sensitivity specialized foreground system based on ancestral ultraviolet cones to mediate threat detection and prey capture, and a net-suppressive system based on ancestral green and blue cones for regulating red/rod and ultraviolet circuits. This ancestral strategy probably still underpins vision today, and different vertebrate lineages have since adapted their original photoreceptor circuits to suit their diverse visual ecologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Baden
- University of Sussex, Sussex Neuroscience, Sussex Center for Sensory Neuroscience and Computation, Brighton, UK.
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17
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Su J, Byer L, Liang Y, Fox MA. Distribution, development, and identity of retinal ganglion cells labeled in the Sert-Cre reporter mouse. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25606. [PMID: 38544361 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The mouse retina contains over 40 types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that differ in morphology, function, or gene expression. RGCs also differ by whether their axons target the brain.s ipsilateral or contralateral hemisphere. Contralaterally projecting RGCs (contraRGCs) are widespread in mouse retina, whereas ipsilateral projecting RGCs (ipsiRGCs) are confined to the ventro-temporal (VT) crescent of retina. In this study, we employed the Sert-Cre transgenic line, which had been reported to selectively label ipsiRGCs, to study ipsiRGCs during development. Although the number of Cre-expressing ipsiRGCs did not significantly increase with postnatal age, the region of retina that they occupied did, and by adulthood represented ~30% of the retinal surface. Unexpectedly, genetic ablation of Sert-Cre cells failed to fully disrupt ipsilateral projecting retinal axons, suggesting that not all ipsiRGCs generated Cre in Sert-Cre mice. To test this hypothesis, we retrogradely labeled ipsiRGCs in Sert-Cre mice which revealed that not all ipsiRGCs are labeled in Sert-Cre mice and a small population of contraRGCs flanking the VT crescent generates Cre in this line. These results do not negate the usefulness of the Sert-Cre mouse but do raise important caveats to the interpretation of such studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmin Su
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
- School of Neuroscience, College of Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Lillian Byer
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, North Carolina, USA
- NeuroSURF Program, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Yanping Liang
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Michael A Fox
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
- School of Neuroscience, College of Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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18
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Brunner M, Lang L, Künkel L, Weber D, Safari MS, Baier-Bitterlich G, Zur Nedden S. Role of PKN1 in Retinal Cell Type Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2848. [PMID: 38474095 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
We recently identified PKN1 as a developmentally active gatekeeper of the transcription factor neuronal differentiation-2 (NeuroD2) in several brain areas. Since NeuroD2 plays an important role in amacrine cell (AC) and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) type formation, we aimed to study the expression of NeuroD2 in the postnatal retina of WT and Pkn1-/- animals, with a particular focus on these two cell types. We show that PKN1 is broadly expressed in the retina and that the gross retinal structure is not different between both genotypes. Postnatal retinal NeuroD2 levels were elevated upon Pkn1 knockout, with Pkn1-/- retinae showing more NeuroD2+ cells in the lower portion of the inner nuclear layer. Accordingly, immunohistochemical analysis revealed an increased amount of AC in postnatal and adult Pkn1-/- retinae. There were no differences in horizontal cell, bipolar cell, glial cell and RGC numbers, nor defective axon guidance to the optic chiasm or tract upon Pkn1 knockout. Interestingly, we did, however, see a specific reduction in SMI-32+ α-RGC in Pkn1-/- retinae. These results suggest that PKN1 is important for retinal cell type formation and validate PKN1 for future studies focusing on AC and α-RGC specification and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Brunner
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Luisa Lang
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Louisa Künkel
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dido Weber
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Motahareh Solina Safari
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gabriele Baier-Bitterlich
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stephanie Zur Nedden
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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19
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Di Pierdomenico J, Gallego-Ortega A, Norte-Muñoz M, Vidal-Villegas B, Bravo I, Boluda-Ruiz M, Bernal-Garro JM, Fernandez-Bueno I, Pastor-Jimeno JC, Villegas-Pérez MP, Avilés-Trigueros M, de Los Ríos C, Vidal-Sanz M. Evaluation of the neuroprotective efficacy of the gramine derivative ITH12657 against NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in the rat retina. Front Neuroanat 2024; 18:1335176. [PMID: 38415017 PMCID: PMC10898249 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2024.1335176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate, the neuroprotective effects of a new Gramine derivative named: ITH12657, in a model of retinal excitotoxicity induced by intravitreal injection of NMDA. Methods Adult Sprague Dawley rats received an intravitreal injection of 100 mM NMDA in their left eye and were treated daily with subcutaneous injections of ITH12657 or vehicle. The best dose-response, therapeutic window study, and optimal treatment duration of ITH12657 were studied. Based on the best survival of Brn3a + RGCs obtained from the above-mentioned studies, the protective effects of ITH12657 were studied in vivo (retinal thickness and full-field Electroretinography), and ex vivo by quantifying the surviving population of Brn3a + RGCs, αRGCs and their subtypes α-ONsRGCs, α-ONtRGCs, and α-OFFRGCs. Results Administration of 10 mg/kg ITH12657, starting 12 h before NMDA injection and dispensed for 3 days, resulted in the best significant protection of Brn3a + RGCs against NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. In vivo, ITH12657-treated rats showed significant preservation of retinal thickness and functional protection against NMDA-induced retinal excitotoxicity. Ex vivo results showed that ITH12657 afforded a significant protection against NMDA-induced excitotoxicity for the populations of Brn3a + RGC, αRGC, and αONs-RGC, but not for the population of αOFF-RGC, while the population of α-ONtRGC was fully resistant to NMDA-induced excitotoxicity. Conclusion Subcutaneous administration of ITH12657 at 10 mg/kg, initiated 12 h before NMDA-induced retinal injury and continued for 3 days, resulted in the best protection of Brn3a + RGCs, αRGC, and αONs-RGC against excitotoxicity-induced RGC death. The population of αOFF-RGCs was extremely sensitive while α-ONtRGCs were fully resistant to NMDA-induced excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - María Norte-Muñoz
- Departamento de Oftalmología, Universidad de Murcia e IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Isaac Bravo
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain
| | - María Boluda-Ruiz
- Departamento de Oftalmología, Universidad de Murcia e IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Iván Fernandez-Bueno
- Instituto Universitario de Oftalmobiología Aplicada (IOBA), Retina Group, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jose Carlos Pastor-Jimeno
- Instituto Universitario de Oftalmobiología Aplicada (IOBA), Retina Group, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | | | - Cristobal de Los Ríos
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain
| | - Manuel Vidal-Sanz
- Departamento de Oftalmología, Universidad de Murcia e IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
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20
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Maloney R, Quattrochi L, Yoon J, Souza R, Berson D. Efficacy and specificity of melanopsin reporters for retinal ganglion cells. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25591. [PMID: 38375612 PMCID: PMC11000424 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are specialized retinal output neurons that mediate behavioral, neuroendocrine, and developmental responses to environmental light. There are diverse molecular strategies for marking ipRGCs, especially in mice, making them among the best characterized retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). With the development of more sensitive reporters, new subtypes of ipRGCs have emerged. We therefore tested high-sensitivity reporter systems to see whether we could reveal yet more. Substantial confusion remains about which of the available methods, if any, label all and only ipRGCs. Here, we compared many different methods for labeling of ipRGCs, including anti-melanopsin immunofluorescence, Opn4-GFP BAC transgenic mice, and Opn4cre mice crossed with three different Cre-specific reporters (Z/EG, Ai9, and Ai14) or injected with Cre-dependent (DIO) AAV2. We show that Opn4cre mice, when crossed with sensitive Cre-reporter mice, label numerous ganglion cell types that lack intrinsic photosensitivity. Though other methods label ipRGCs specifically, they do not label the entire population of ipRGCs. We conclude that no existing method labels all and only ipRGCs. We assess the appropriateness of each reporter for particular applications and integrate findings across reporters to estimate that the overall abundance of ipRGCs among mouse RGCs may approach 11%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Maloney
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lauren Quattrochi
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - James Yoon
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Rachel Souza
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - David Berson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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21
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Kerschensteiner D, Feller MB. Mapping the Retina onto the Brain. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041512. [PMID: 38052498 PMCID: PMC10835620 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Vision begins in the retina, which extracts salient features from the environment and encodes them in the spike trains of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the eye. RGC axons innervate diverse brain areas (>50 in mice) to support perception, guide behavior, and mediate influences of light on physiology and internal states. In recent years, complete lists of RGC types (∼45 in mice) have been compiled, detailed maps of their dendritic connections drawn, and their light responses surveyed at scale. We know less about the RGCs' axonal projection patterns, which map retinal information onto the brain. However, some organizing principles have emerged. Here, we review the strategies and mechanisms that govern developing RGC axons and organize their innervation of retinorecipient brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Neuroscience
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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22
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Dyballa L, Rudzite AM, Hoseini MS, Thapa M, Stryker MP, Field GD, Zucker SW. Population encoding of stimulus features along the visual hierarchy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317773121. [PMID: 38227668 PMCID: PMC10823231 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317773121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The retina and primary visual cortex (V1) both exhibit diverse neural populations sensitive to diverse visual features. Yet it remains unclear how neural populations in each area partition stimulus space to span these features. One possibility is that neural populations are organized into discrete groups of neurons, with each group signaling a particular constellation of features. Alternatively, neurons could be continuously distributed across feature-encoding space. To distinguish these possibilities, we presented a battery of visual stimuli to the mouse retina and V1 while measuring neural responses with multi-electrode arrays. Using machine learning approaches, we developed a manifold embedding technique that captures how neural populations partition feature space and how visual responses correlate with physiological and anatomical properties of individual neurons. We show that retinal populations discretely encode features, while V1 populations provide a more continuous representation. Applying the same analysis approach to convolutional neural networks that model visual processing, we demonstrate that they partition features much more similarly to the retina, indicating they are more like big retinas than little brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Dyballa
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
| | | | - Mahmood S. Hoseini
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Mishek Thapa
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Michael P. Stryker
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Greg D. Field
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Steven W. Zucker
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
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23
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Swygart D, Yu WQ, Takeuchi S, Wong ROL, Schwartz GW. A presynaptic source drives differing levels of surround suppression in two mouse retinal ganglion cell types. Nat Commun 2024; 15:599. [PMID: 38238324 PMCID: PMC10796971 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44851-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In early sensory systems, cell-type diversity generally increases from the periphery into the brain, resulting in a greater heterogeneity of responses to the same stimuli. Surround suppression is a canonical visual computation that begins within the retina and is found at varying levels across retinal ganglion cell types. Our results show that heterogeneity in the level of surround suppression occurs subcellularly at bipolar cell synapses. Using single-cell electrophysiology and serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, we show that two retinal ganglion cell types exhibit very different levels of surround suppression even though they receive input from the same bipolar cell types. This divergence of the bipolar cell signal occurs through synapse-specific regulation by amacrine cells at the scale of tens of microns. These findings indicate that each synapse of a single bipolar cell can carry a unique visual signal, expanding the number of possible functional channels at the earliest stages of visual processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Swygart
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Wan-Qing Yu
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rachel O L Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gregory W Schwartz
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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24
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Abstract
When vertebrates first conquered the land, they encountered a visual world that was radically distinct from that of their aquatic ancestors. Fish exploit the strong wavelength-dependent interactions of light with water by differentially feeding the signals from up to 5 spectral photoreceptor types into distinct behavioural programmes. However, above the water the same spectral rules do not apply, and this called for an update to visual circuit strategies. Early tetrapods soon evolved the double cone, a still poorly understood pair of new photoreceptors that brought the "ancestral terrestrial" complement from 5 to 7. Subsequent nonmammalian lineages differentially adapted this highly parallelised retinal input strategy for their diverse visual ecologies. By contrast, mammals shed most ancestral photoreceptors and converged on an input strategy that is exceptionally general. In eutherian mammals including in humans, parallelisation emerges gradually as the visual signal traverses the layers of the retina and into the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Baden
- University of Sussex, Sussex Neuroscience, Sussex Center for Sensory Neuroscience and Computation, Brighton, United Kingdom
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25
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Patterson SS, Girresch RJ, Mazzaferri MA, Bordt AS, Piñon-Teal WL, Jesse BD, Perera DCW, Schlepphorst MA, Kuchenbecker JA, Chuang AZ, Neitz J, Marshak DW, Ogilvie JM. Synaptic Origins of the Complex Receptive Field Structure in Primate Smooth Monostratified Retinal Ganglion Cells. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0280-23.2023. [PMID: 38290840 PMCID: PMC11078106 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0280-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in studying the receptive fields of the most common primate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types, such as parasol RGCs. Much less is known about the rarer primate RGC types and the circuitry that gives rise to noncanonical receptive field structures. The goal of this study was to analyze synaptic inputs to smooth monostratified RGCs to determine the origins of their complex spatial receptive fields, which contain isolated regions of high sensitivity called "hotspots." Interestingly, smooth monostratified RGCs co-stratify with the well-studied parasol RGCs and are thus constrained to receiving input from bipolar and amacrine cells with processes sharing the same layer, raising the question of how their functional differences originate. Through 3D reconstructions of circuitry and synapses onto ON smooth monostratified and ON parasol RGCs from central macaque retina, we identified four distinct sampling strategies employed by smooth and parasol RGCs to extract diverse response properties from co-stratifying bipolar and amacrine cells. The two RGC types differed in the proportion of amacrine cell input, relative contributions of co-stratifying bipolar cell types, amount of synaptic input per bipolar cell, and spatial distribution of bipolar cell synapses. Our results indicate that the smooth RGC's complex receptive field structure arises through spatial asymmetries in excitatory bipolar cell input which formed several discrete clusters comparable with physiologically measured hotspots. Taken together, our results demonstrate how the striking differences between ON parasol and ON smooth monostratified RGCs arise from distinct strategies for sampling a common set of synaptic inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara S Patterson
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NewYork 14617
| | - Rebecca J Girresch
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri 63103
| | - Marcus A Mazzaferri
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104
| | - Andrea S Bordt
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104
- Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Wendy L Piñon-Teal
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri 63103
| | - Brett D Jesse
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri 63103
| | | | | | - James A Kuchenbecker
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104
| | - Alice Z Chuang
- Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Science, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jay Neitz
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104
| | - David W Marshak
- Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
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26
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Park SJ, Lei W, Pisano J, Orpia A, Minehart J, Pottackal J, Hanke-Gogokhia C, Zapadka TE, Clarkson-Paredes C, Popratiloff A, Ross SE, Singer JH, Demb JB. Molecular identification of wide-field amacrine cells in mouse retina that encode stimulus orientation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.28.573580. [PMID: 38234775 PMCID: PMC10793454 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.28.573580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Visual information processing is sculpted by a diverse group of inhibitory interneurons in the retina called amacrine cells. Yet, for most of the >60 amacrine cell types, molecular identities and specialized functional attributes remain elusive. Here, we developed an intersectional genetic strategy to target a group of wide-field amacrine cells (WACs) in mouse retina that co-express the transcription factor Bhlhe22 and the Kappa Opioid Receptor (KOR; B/K WACs). B/K WACs feature straight, unbranched dendrites spanning over 0.5 mm (∼15° visual angle) and produce non-spiking responses to either light increments or decrements. Two-photon dendritic population imaging reveals Ca 2+ signals tuned to the physical orientations of B/K WAC dendrites, signifying a robust structure-function alignment. B/K WACs establish divergent connections with multiple retinal neurons, including unexpected connections with non-orientation-tuned ganglion cells and bipolar cells. Our work sets the stage for future comprehensive investigations of the most enigmatic group of retinal neurons: WACs.
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27
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Woodworth MB, Greig LC, Goldberg JL. Intrinsic and Induced Neuronal Regeneration in the Mammalian Retina. Antioxid Redox Signal 2023; 39:1039-1052. [PMID: 37276181 PMCID: PMC10715439 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2023.0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Significance: Retinal neurons are vulnerable to disease and injury, which can result in neuronal death and degeneration leading to irreversible vision loss. The human retina does not regenerate to replace neurons lost to disease or injury. However, cells within the retina of other animals are capable of regenerating neurons, and homologous cells within the mammalian retina could potentially be prompted to do the same. Activating evolutionarily silenced intrinsic regenerative capacity of the mammalian retina could slow, or even reverse, vision loss, leading to an improved quality of life for millions of people. Recent Advances: During development, neurons in the retina are generated progressively by retinal progenitor cells, with distinct neuron types born over developmental time. Many genes function in this process to specify the identity of newly generated neuron types, and these appropriate states of gene expression inform recent regenerative work. When regeneration is initiated in other vertebrates, including birds and fish, specific signaling pathways control the efficiency of regeneration, and these conserved pathways are likely to be important in mammals as well. Critical Issues: Using insights from development and from other animals, limited regeneration from intrinsic cell types has been demonstrated in the mammalian retina, but it is able only to generate a subset of partially differentiated retinal neuron types. Future Directions: Future studies should aim at increasing the efficiency of regeneration, activating regeneration in a targeted fashion across the retina, and improving the ability to generate specific types of retinal neurons to replace those lost to disease or injury. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 39, 1039-1052.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie B. Woodworth
- Department of Ophthalmology, Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Luciano C. Greig
- Department of Ophthalmology, Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Goldberg
- Department of Ophthalmology, Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
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28
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Hahn J, Monavarfeshani A, Qiao M, Kao AH, Kölsch Y, Kumar A, Kunze VP, Rasys AM, Richardson R, Wekselblatt JB, Baier H, Lucas RJ, Li W, Meister M, Trachtenberg JT, Yan W, Peng YR, Sanes JR, Shekhar K. Evolution of neuronal cell classes and types in the vertebrate retina. Nature 2023; 624:415-424. [PMID: 38092908 PMCID: PMC10719112 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06638-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The basic plan of the retina is conserved across vertebrates, yet species differ profoundly in their visual needs1. Retinal cell types may have evolved to accommodate these varied needs, but this has not been systematically studied. Here we generated and integrated single-cell transcriptomic atlases of the retina from 17 species: humans, two non-human primates, four rodents, three ungulates, opossum, ferret, tree shrew, a bird, a reptile, a teleost fish and a lamprey. We found high molecular conservation of the six retinal cell classes (photoreceptors, horizontal cells, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and Müller glia), with transcriptomic variation across species related to evolutionary distance. Major subclasses were also conserved, whereas variation among cell types within classes or subclasses was more pronounced. However, an integrative analysis revealed that numerous cell types are shared across species, based on conserved gene expression programmes that are likely to trace back to an early ancestral vertebrate. The degree of variation among cell types increased from the outer retina (photoreceptors) to the inner retina (RGCs), suggesting that evolution acts preferentially to shape the retinal output. Finally, we identified rodent orthologues of midget RGCs, which comprise more than 80% of RGCs in the human retina, subserve high-acuity vision, and were previously believed to be restricted to primates2. By contrast, the mouse orthologues have large receptive fields and comprise around 2% of mouse RGCs. Projections of both primate and mouse orthologous types are overrepresented in the thalamus, which supplies the primary visual cortex. We suggest that midget RGCs are not primate innovations, but are descendants of evolutionarily ancient types that decreased in size and increased in number as primates evolved, thereby facilitating high visual acuity and increased cortical processing of visual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Hahn
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Aboozar Monavarfeshani
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mu Qiao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- LinkedIn, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - Allison H Kao
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yvonne Kölsch
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ayush Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Vincent P Kunze
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ashley M Rasys
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rose Richardson
- Division of Neuroscience and Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Joseph B Wekselblatt
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Robert J Lucas
- Division of Neuroscience and Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Wei Li
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Markus Meister
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Joshua T Trachtenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wenjun Yan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yi-Rong Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joshua R Sanes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Karthik Shekhar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute,Vision Science Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Center for Computational Biology, Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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29
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Zhang P, Vafaeva O, Dolf C, Ma Y, Wang G, Cho J, Chan HHL, Marsh-Armstrong N, Zawadzki RJ. Evaluating the performance of OCT in assessing static and potential dynamic properties of the retinal ganglion cells and nerve fiber bundles in the living mouse eye. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 14:6422-6441. [PMID: 38420317 PMCID: PMC10898556 DOI: 10.1364/boe.504637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases characterized by the thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which is primarily caused by the progressive death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Precise monitoring of these changes at a cellular resolution in living eyes is significant for glaucoma research. In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of temporal speckle averaging optical coherence tomography (TSA-OCT) and dynamic OCT (dOCT) in examining the static and potential dynamic properties of RGCs and RNFL in living mouse eyes. We evaluated parameters such as RNFL thickness and possible dynamics, as well as compared the ganglion cell layer (GCL) soma density obtained from in vivo OCT, fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), and ex vivo histology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Olga Vafaeva
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Christian Dolf
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Yanhong Ma
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Guozhen Wang
- School of Optoelectronic Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Jessicca Cho
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Henry Ho-Lung Chan
- Laboratory of Experimental Optometry (Neuroscience), School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis Eye Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Robert J Zawadzki
- UC Davis EyePod Small Animals Ocular Imaging Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Center for Human Ocular Imaging Research (CHOIR), Dept. of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, University of California Davis, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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30
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Jo A, Deniz S, Cherian S, Xu J, Futagi D, DeVries SH, Zhu Y. Modular interneuron circuits control motion sensitivity in the mouse retina. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7746. [PMID: 38008788 PMCID: PMC10679153 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43382-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural computations arise from highly precise connections between specific types of neurons. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with similar stratification patterns are positioned to receive similar inputs but often display different response properties. In this study, we used intersectional mouse genetics to achieve single-cell type labeling and identified an object motion sensitive (OMS) AC type, COMS-AC(counter-OMS AC). Optogenetic stimulation revealed that COMS-AC makes glycinergic synapses with the OMS-insensitive HD2p-RGC, while chemogenetic inactivation showed that COMS-AC provides inhibitory control to HD2p-RGC during local motion. This local inhibition, combined with the inhibitory drive from TH2-AC during global motion, explains the OMS-insensitive feature of HD2p-RGC. In contrast, COMS-AC fails to make synapses with W3(UHD)-RGC, allowing it to exhibit OMS under the control of VGlut3-AC and TH2-AC. These findings reveal modular interneuron circuits that endow structurally similar RGC types with different responses and present a mechanism for redundancy-reduction in the retina to expand coding capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Jo
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sercan Deniz
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Suraj Cherian
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Jian Xu
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Daiki Futagi
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Steven H DeVries
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Yongling Zhu
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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31
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Fadjukov J, Schwartz G. Putting early sensory neurons to sleep. eLife 2023; 12:e93339. [PMID: 37947192 PMCID: PMC10637771 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons that transmit information from the retina to other parts of the brain are more affected by anesthesia than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fadjukov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Gregory Schwartz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
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32
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Contreras E, Bhoi JD, Sonoda T, Birnbaumer L, Schmidt TM. Melanopsin activates divergent phototransduction pathways in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell subtypes. eLife 2023; 12:e80749. [PMID: 37937828 PMCID: PMC10712949 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanopsin signaling within intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) subtypes impacts a broad range of behaviors from circadian photoentrainment to conscious visual perception. Yet, how melanopsin phototransduction within M1-M6 ipRGC subtypes impacts cellular signaling to drive diverse behaviors is still largely unresolved. The identity of the phototransduction channels in each subtype is key to understanding this central question but has remained controversial. In this study, we resolve two opposing models of M4 phototransduction, demonstrating that hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are dispensable for this process and providing support for a pathway involving melanopsin-dependent potassium channel closure and canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channel opening. Surprisingly, we find that HCN channels are likewise dispensable for M2 phototransduction, contradicting the current model. We instead show that M2 phototransduction requires TRPC channels in conjunction with T-type voltage-gated calcium channels, identifying a novel melanopsin phototransduction target. Collectively, this work resolves key discrepancies in our understanding of ipRGC phototransduction pathways in multiple subtypes and adds to mounting evidence that ipRGC subtypes employ diverse phototransduction cascades to fine-tune cellular responses for downstream behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ely Contreras
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Northwestern University Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Jacob D Bhoi
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Takuma Sonoda
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern UniversityChicagoUnited States
| | - Lutz Birnbaumer
- Laboratory of Signal Transduction, National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesDurhamUnited States
- Institute of Biomedical Research (BIOMED), Catholic University of ArgentinaBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of MedicineChicagoUnited States
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Wang AYM, Kulkarni MM, McLaughlin AJ, Gayet J, Smith BE, Hauptschein M, McHugh CF, Yao YY, Puthussery T. An ON-type direction-selective ganglion cell in primate retina. Nature 2023; 623:381-386. [PMID: 37880369 PMCID: PMC10632142 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06659-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
To maintain a stable and clear image of the world, our eyes reflexively follow the direction in which a visual scene is moving. Such gaze-stabilization mechanisms reduce image blur as we move in the environment. In non-primate mammals, this behaviour is initiated by retinal output neurons called ON-type direction-selective ganglion cells (ON-DSGCs), which detect the direction of image motion and transmit signals to brainstem nuclei that drive compensatory eye movements1. However, ON-DSGCs have not yet been identified in the retina of primates, raising the possibility that this reflex is mediated by cortical visual areas. Here we mined single-cell RNA transcriptomic data from primate retina to identify a candidate ON-DSGC. We then combined two-photon calcium imaging, molecular identification and morphological analysis to reveal a population of ON-DSGCs in the macaque retina. The morphology, molecular signature and GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-dependent mechanisms that underlie direction selectivity in primate ON-DSGCs are highly conserved with those in other mammals. We further identify a candidate ON-DSGC in human retina. The presence of ON-DSGCs in primates highlights the need to examine the contribution of subcortical retinal mechanisms to normal and aberrant gaze stabilization in the developing and mature visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y M Wang
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Manoj M Kulkarni
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Amanda J McLaughlin
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jacqueline Gayet
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin E Smith
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Max Hauptschein
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Cyrus F McHugh
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Vision Science Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yvette Y Yao
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Teresa Puthussery
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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34
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Prigge CL, Dembla M, Sharma A, El-Quessny M, Kozlowski C, Paisley CE, Miltner AM, Johnson TM, Della Santina L, Feller MB, Kay JN. Rejection of inappropriate synaptic partners in mouse retina mediated by transcellular FLRT2-UNC5 signaling. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2080-2096.e7. [PMID: 37557174 PMCID: PMC10615732 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
During nervous system development, neurons choose synaptic partners with remarkable specificity; however, the cell-cell recognition mechanisms governing rejection of inappropriate partners remain enigmatic. Here, we show that mouse retinal neurons avoid inappropriate partners by using the FLRT2-uncoordinated-5 (UNC5) receptor-ligand system. Within the inner plexiform layer (IPL), FLRT2 is expressed by direction-selective (DS) circuit neurons, whereas UNC5C/D are expressed by non-DS neurons projecting to adjacent IPL sublayers. In vivo gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrate that FLRT2-UNC5 binding eliminates growing DS dendrites that have strayed from the DS circuit IPL sublayers. Abrogation of FLRT2-UNC5 binding allows mistargeted arbors to persist, elaborate, and acquire synapses from inappropriate partners. Conversely, UNC5C misexpression within DS circuit sublayers inhibits dendrite growth and drives arbors into adjacent sublayers. Mechanistically, UNC5s promote dendrite elimination by interfering with FLRT2-mediated adhesion. Based on their broad expression, FLRT-UNC5 recognition is poised to exert widespread effects upon synaptic partner choices across the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Prigge
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mayur Dembla
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Arsha Sharma
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Malak El-Quessny
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Christopher Kozlowski
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Caitlin E Paisley
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Adam M Miltner
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Tyler M Johnson
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Luca Della Santina
- Department of Vision Sciences, University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jeremy N Kay
- Departments of Neurobiology, Ophthalmology, and Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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35
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Choi W, Nensel AK, Droho S, Fattah MA, Mokashi-Punekar S, Swygart DI, Burton ST, Schwartz GW, Lavine JA, Gianneschi NC. Thrombospondin-1 proteomimetic polymers exhibit anti-angiogenic activity in a neovascular age-related macular degeneration mouse model. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi8534. [PMID: 37831763 PMCID: PMC10575579 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. Current therapy includes monthly intraocular injections of anti-VEGF antibodies, which are ineffective in up to one third of patients. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) inhibits angiogenesis via CD36 binding, and its down-regulated expression is negatively associated with the onset of nAMD. Here, we describe TSP1 mimetic protein-like polymers (TSP1 PLPs). TSP1 PLPs bind CD36 with high affinity, resist degradation, show prolonged intraocular half-lives (13.1 hours), have no toxicity at relevant concentrations in vivo (40 μM), and are more efficacious in ex vivo choroidal sprouting assays compared to the peptide sequence and Eylea (aflibercept), the current standard of care anti-VEGF treatment. Furthermore, PLPs exhibit superior in vivo efficacy in a mouse model for nAMD compared to control PLPs consisting of scrambled peptide sequences, using fluorescein angiography and immunofluorescence. Since TSP-1 inhibits angiogenesis by VEGF-dependent and independent mechanisms, TSP1 PLPs are a potential therapeutic for patients with anti-VEGF treatment-resistant nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonmin Choi
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Ashley K. Nensel
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Steven Droho
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mara A. Fattah
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Soumitra Mokashi-Punekar
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - David I. Swygart
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Spencer T. Burton
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Greg W. Schwartz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Weinberg School of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jeremy A. Lavine
- Department of Ophthalmology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nathan C. Gianneschi
- Department of Chemistry, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmacology, Simpson Querrey Institute, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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36
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Soucy JR, Aguzzi EA, Cho J, Gilhooley MJ, Keuthan C, Luo Z, Monavarfeshani A, Saleem MA, Wang XW, Wohlschlegel J, Baranov P, Di Polo A, Fortune B, Gokoffski KK, Goldberg JL, Guido W, Kolodkin AL, Mason CA, Ou Y, Reh TA, Ross AG, Samuels BC, Welsbie D, Zack DJ, Johnson TV. Retinal ganglion cell repopulation for vision restoration in optic neuropathy: a roadmap from the RReSTORe Consortium. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:64. [PMID: 37735444 PMCID: PMC10514988 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00655-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies results in irreversible vision loss due to the mammalian central nervous system's limited regenerative capacity. RGC repopulation is a promising therapeutic approach to reverse vision loss from optic neuropathies if the newly introduced neurons can reestablish functional retinal and thalamic circuits. In theory, RGCs might be repopulated through the transplantation of stem cell-derived neurons or via the induction of endogenous transdifferentiation. The RGC Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) Consortium was established to address the challenges associated with the therapeutic repair of the visual pathway in optic neuropathy. In 2022, the RReSTORe Consortium initiated ongoing international collaborative discussions to advance the RGC repopulation field and has identified five critical areas of focus: (1) RGC development and differentiation, (2) Transplantation methods and models, (3) RGC survival, maturation, and host interactions, (4) Inner retinal wiring, and (5) Eye-to-brain connectivity. Here, we discuss the most pertinent questions and challenges that exist on the path to clinical translation and suggest experimental directions to propel this work going forward. Using these five subtopic discussion groups (SDGs) as a framework, we suggest multidisciplinary approaches to restore the diseased visual pathway by leveraging groundbreaking insights from developmental neuroscience, stem cell biology, molecular biology, optical imaging, animal models of optic neuropathy, immunology & immunotolerance, neuropathology & neuroprotection, materials science & biomedical engineering, and regenerative neuroscience. While significant hurdles remain, the RReSTORe Consortium's efforts provide a comprehensive roadmap for advancing the RGC repopulation field and hold potential for transformative progress in restoring vision in patients suffering from optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Soucy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erika A Aguzzi
- The Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, England, UK
| | - Julie Cho
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Michael James Gilhooley
- The Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, England, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, England, UK
| | - Casey Keuthan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ziming Luo
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Aboozar Monavarfeshani
- Center for Brain Science and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Meher A Saleem
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Xue-Wei Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Petr Baranov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Di Polo
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brad Fortune
- Discoveries in Sight Research Laboratories, Devers Eye Institute and Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Kimberly K Gokoffski
- Department of Ophthalmology, Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Goldberg
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Alex L Kolodkin
- The Solomon H Snyder, Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carol A Mason
- Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yvonne Ou
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas A Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ahmara G Ross
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brian C Samuels
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Callahan Eye Hospital, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Derek Welsbie
- Shiley Eye Institute and Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Donald J Zack
- Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21287 MD, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology & Genetics, and Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas V Johnson
- Departments of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology & Genetics, and Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Cellular & Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21287 MD, USA.
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37
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Wang H, Dey O, Lagos WN, Behnam N, Callaway EM, Stafford BK. Parallel pathways carrying direction and orientation selective retinal signals to layer 4 of mouse visual cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.18.558281. [PMID: 37786698 PMCID: PMC10541575 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.18.558281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Parallel functional and anatomical visual pathways from the retina to primary visual cortex (V1) via the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) are common to many mammalian species, including mice, carnivores and primates. However, the much larger number of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types that project to the LGN, as well as the more limited lamination of both the LGN and the thalamocortical-recipient layer 4 (L4) in mice, leaves considerable uncertainty about which visual features present in both retina and V1 might be inherited from parallel pathways versus extracted by V1 circuits in the mouse visual system. Here, we explored the relationships between functional properties of L4 V1 neurons and their RGC inputs by taking advantage of two Cre-expressing mouse lines - Nr5a1-Cre and Scnn1a-Tg3-Cre - that each label functionally and anatomically distinct populations of L4 neurons. Visual tuning properties of L4 V1 neurons were evaluated using Cre-dependent expression of GCaMP6s followed by 2-photon calcium imaging. RGCs providing input to these neurons (via LGN) were labeled and characterized using Cre-dependent trans-synaptic retrograde labeling with G-deleted rabies virus. We find significant differences in the tuning of Nr5a1-Cre versus Scnn1a-Tg3-Cre neurons for direction, orientation, spatial frequency, temporal frequency, and speed. Strikingly, a subset of the RGCs had tuning properties that matched the direction and orientation tuning properties of the L4 V1 neurons to which they provided input. Altogether, these results suggest that direction and orientation tuning of V1 neurons may be at least partly inherited from parallel pathways originating in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Wang
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Oyshi Dey
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Willian N. Lagos
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Noor Behnam
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Edward M. Callaway
- The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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38
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Trapani F, Spampinato GLB, Yger P, Marre O. Differences in nonlinearities determine retinal cell types. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:706-718. [PMID: 37584082 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00243.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Classifying neurons in different types is still an open challenge. In the retina, recent works have taken advantage of the ability to record from a large number of cells to classify ganglion cells into different types based on functional information. Although the first attempts in this direction used the receptive field properties of each cell to classify them, more recent approaches have proposed to cluster ganglion cells directly based on their response to stimuli. These two approaches have not been compared directly. Here, we recorded the responses of a large number of ganglion cells and compared two methods for classifying them into functional groups, one based on the receptive field properties, and the other one using directly their responses to stimuli with various temporal frequencies. We show that the response-based approach allows separation of more types than the receptive field-based method, leading to a better classification. This better granularity is due to the fact that the response-based method takes into account not only the linear part of ganglion cell function but also some of the nonlinearities. A careful characterization of nonlinear processing is thus key to allowing functional classification of sensory neurons.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In the retina, ganglion cells can be classified based on their response to visual stimuli. Although some methods are based on the modeling of receptive fields, others rely on responses to characteristic stimuli. We compared these two classes of methods and show that the latter provides a higher discrimination performance. We also show that this gain arises from the ability to account for the nonlinear behavior of neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Trapani
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Pierre Yger
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Marre
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
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39
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Yin Z, Kaiser MAA, Camara LO, Camarena M, Parsa M, Jacob A, Schwartz G, Jaiswal A. IRIS: Integrated Retinal Functionality in Image Sensors. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1241691. [PMID: 37719155 PMCID: PMC10502419 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1241691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromorphic image sensors draw inspiration from the biological retina to implement visual computations in electronic hardware. Gain control in phototransduction and temporal differentiation at the first retinal synapse inspired the first generation of neuromorphic sensors, but processing in downstream retinal circuits, much of which has been discovered in the past decade, has not been implemented in image sensor technology. We present a technology-circuit co-design solution that implements two motion computations-object motion sensitivity and looming detection-at the retina's output that could have wide applications for vision-based decision-making in dynamic environments. Our simulations on Globalfoundries 22 nm technology node show that the proposed retina-inspired circuits can be fabricated on image sensing platforms in existing semiconductor foundries by taking advantage of the recent advances in semiconductor chip stacking technology. Integrated Retinal Functionality in Image Sensors (IRIS) technology could drive advances in machine vision applications that demand energy-efficient and low-bandwidth real-time decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Yin
- Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Md Abdullah-Al Kaiser
- Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | | | - Mark Camarena
- Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maryam Parsa
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - Ajey Jacob
- Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Gregory Schwartz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Akhilesh Jaiswal
- Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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40
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Seifert M, Roberts PA, Kafetzis G, Osorio D, Baden T. Birds multiplex spectral and temporal visual information via retinal On- and Off-channels. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5308. [PMID: 37652912 PMCID: PMC10471707 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41032-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In vertebrate vision, early retinal circuits divide incoming visual information into functionally opposite elementary signals: On and Off, transient and sustained, chromatic and achromatic. Together these signals can yield an efficient representation of the scene for transmission to the brain via the optic nerve. However, this long-standing interpretation of retinal function is based on mammals, and it is unclear whether this functional arrangement is common to all vertebrates. Here we show that male poultry chicks use a fundamentally different strategy to communicate information from the eye to the brain. Rather than using functionally opposite pairs of retinal output channels, chicks encode the polarity, timing, and spectral composition of visual stimuli in a highly correlated manner: fast achromatic information is encoded by Off-circuits, and slow chromatic information overwhelmingly by On-circuits. Moreover, most retinal output channels combine On- and Off-circuits to simultaneously encode, or multiplex, both achromatic and chromatic information. Our results from birds conform to evidence from fish, amphibians, and reptiles which retain the full ancestral complement of four spectral types of cone photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin Seifert
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
| | - Paul A Roberts
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | | | - Daniel Osorio
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
| | - Tom Baden
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
- Institute of Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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41
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Fries M, Brown TW, Jolicoeur C, Boulan B, Boudreau-Pinsonneault C, Javed A, Abram P, Cayouette M. Pou3f1 orchestrates a gene regulatory network controlling contralateral retinogeniculate projections. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112985. [PMID: 37590135 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance of contralateral and ipsilateral retinogeniculate projections is critical for binocular vision, but the transcriptional programs regulating this process remain ill defined. Here we show that the Pou class homeobox protein POU3F1 is expressed in nascent mouse contralateral retinal ganglion cells (cRGCs) but not ipsilateral RGCs (iRGCs). Upon Pou3f1 inactivation, the proportion of cRGCs is reduced in favor of iRGCs, leading to abnormal projection ratios at the optic chiasm. Conversely, misexpression of Pou3f1 in progenitors increases the production of cRGCs. Using CUT&RUN and RNA sequencing in gain- and loss-of-function assays, we demonstrate that POU3F1 regulates expression of several key members of the cRGC gene regulatory network. Finally, we report that POU3F1 is sufficient to induce RGC-like cell production, even in late-stage retinal progenitors of Atoh7 knockout mice. This work uncovers POU3F1 as a regulator of the cRGC transcriptional program, opening possibilities for optic nerve regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Fries
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Thomas W Brown
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Christine Jolicoeur
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Benoit Boulan
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Camille Boudreau-Pinsonneault
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Pénélope Abram
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.
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42
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Mani A, Yang X, Zhao TA, Leyrer ML, Schreck D, Berson DM. A circuit suppressing retinal drive to the optokinetic system during fast image motion. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5142. [PMID: 37612305 PMCID: PMC10447436 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40527-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) assists stabilization of the retinal image during head rotation. OKN is driven by ON direction selective retinal ganglion cells (ON DSGCs), which encode both the direction and speed of global retinal slip. The synaptic circuits responsible for the direction selectivity of ON DSGCs are well understood, but those sculpting their slow-speed preference remain enigmatic. Here, we probe this mechanism in mouse retina through patch clamp recordings, functional imaging, genetic manipulation, and electron microscopic reconstructions. We confirm earlier evidence that feedforward glycinergic inhibition is the main suppressor of ON DSGC responses to fast motion, and reveal the source for this inhibition-the VGluT3 amacrine cell, a dual neurotransmitter, excitatory/inhibitory interneuron. Together, our results identify a role for VGluT3 cells in limiting the speed range of OKN. More broadly, they suggest VGluT3 cells shape the response of many retinal cell types to fast motion, suppressing it in some while enhancing it in others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Mani
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Xinzhu Yang
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Tiffany A Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Megan L Leyrer
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Daniel Schreck
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - David M Berson
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
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43
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Peng YR. Cell-type specification in the retina: Recent discoveries from transcriptomic approaches. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 81:102752. [PMID: 37499619 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the formation of the complex nervous system hinges on decoding the mechanism that specifies a vast array of neuronal types, each endowed with a unique morphology, physiology, and connectivity. As a pivotal step towards addressing this problem, seminal work has been devoted to characterizing distinct neuronal types. In recent years, high-throughput, single-cell transcriptomic methods have enabled a rapid inventory of cell types in various regions of the nervous system, with the retina exhibiting complete molecular characterization across many vertebrate species. This invaluable resource has furnished a fresh perspective for investigating the molecular principles of cell-type specification, thereby advancing our understanding of retinal development. Accordingly, this review focuses on the most recent transcriptomic characterizations of retinal cells, with a particular focus on amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells. These investigations have unearthed new insights into their cell-type specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Rong Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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44
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Guo L, Xie X, Wang J, Xiao H, Li S, Xu M, Quainoo E, Koppaka R, Zhuo J, Smith SB, Gan L. Inducible Rbpms-CreER T2 Mouse Line for Studying Gene Function in Retinal Ganglion Cell Physiology and Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1951. [PMID: 37566030 PMCID: PMC10416940 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the sole output neurons conveying visual stimuli from the retina to the brain, and dysfunction or loss of RGCs is the primary determinant of visual loss in traumatic and degenerative ocular conditions. Currently, there is a lack of RGC-specific Cre mouse lines that serve as invaluable tools for manipulating genes in RGCs and studying the genetic basis of RGC diseases. The RNA-binding protein with multiple splicing (RBPMS) is identified as the specific marker of all RGCs. Here, we report the generation and characterization of a knock-in mouse line in which a P2A-CreERT2 coding sequence is fused in-frame to the C-terminus of endogenous RBPMS, allowing for the co-expression of RBPMS and CreERT2. The inducible Rbpms-CreERT2 mice exhibited a high recombination efficiency in activating the expression of the tdTomato reporter gene in nearly all adult RGCs as well as in differentiated RGCs starting at E13.5. Additionally, both heterozygous and homozygous Rbpms-CreERT2 knock-in mice showed no detectable defect in the retinal structure, visual function, and transcriptome. Together, these results demonstrated that the Rbpms-CreERT2 knock-in mouse can serve as a powerful and highly desired genetic tool for lineage tracing, genetic manipulation, retinal physiology study, and ocular disease modeling in RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luming Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Haiyan Xiao
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Shuchun Li
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Mei Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Ebenezer Quainoo
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Rithwik Koppaka
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jiaping Zhuo
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Sylvia B. Smith
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Lin Gan
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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Balraj A, Clarkson-Paredes C, Miller RH. Loss of optic nerve oligodendrocytes during maturation alters retinal organization. Exp Eye Res 2023:109540. [PMID: 37364629 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The myelin sheath facilitates signal conduction along axons in white matter tracts, and when disrupted, can result in significant functional deficits. Demyelination, observed in diseases like multiple sclerosis and optic neuritis, are associated with neural degeneration, however the extent of this damage on upstream circuitry is not well understood. Here we use the MBP-iCP9 mouse model to induce selective oligodendrocyte ablation in the optic nerve at P14 via a chemical inducer of dimerization (CID), resulting in partial demyelination of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons with minimal inflammation after two weeks. Oligodendrocyte loss reduced axon diameter and altered compound action potential waveforms, blocking conduction in the slowest-conducting axon populations. Demyelination resulted in disruptions to the normal composition of the retina, including reduced density of RBPMS+, Brn3a+, and OFF-transient RGCs, thinning of the IPL, and reduced density of displaced amacrine cells. The INL and ONL were unaffected by oligodendrocyte loss, suggesting that demyelination-induced deficits in this model are specific to the IPL and GCL. These results show that a partial demyelination of a subpopulation of RGC axons disrupts optic nerve function and affects the organization of the retinal network. This study highlights the significance of myelination in maintaining upstream neural connectivity and provides support for targeting neuronal degeneration in treatments of demyelinating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Balraj
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Cheryl Clarkson-Paredes
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Robert H Miller
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C., USA.
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46
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Wu KY, Mina M, Sahyoun JY, Kalevar A, Tran SD. Retinal Prostheses: Engineering and Clinical Perspectives for Vision Restoration. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:5782. [PMID: 37447632 PMCID: PMC10347280 DOI: 10.3390/s23135782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
A retinal prosthesis, also known as a bionic eye, is a device that can be implanted to partially restore vision in patients with retinal diseases that have resulted in the loss of photoreceptors (e.g., age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa). Recently, there have been major breakthroughs in retinal prosthesis technology, with the creation of numerous types of implants, including epiretinal, subretinal, and suprachoroidal sensors. These devices can stimulate the remaining cells in the retina with electric signals to create a visual sensation. A literature review of the pre-clinical and clinical studies published between 2017 and 2023 is conducted. This narrative review delves into the retinal anatomy, physiology, pathology, and principles underlying electronic retinal prostheses. Engineering aspects are explored, including electrode-retina alignment, electrode size and material, charge density, resolution limits, spatial selectivity, and bidirectional closed-loop systems. This article also discusses clinical aspects, focusing on safety, adverse events, visual function, outcomes, and the importance of rehabilitation programs. Moreover, there is ongoing debate over whether implantable retinal devices still offer a promising approach for the treatment of retinal diseases, considering the recent emergence of cell-based and gene-based therapies as well as optogenetics. This review compares retinal prostheses with these alternative therapies, providing a balanced perspective on their advantages and limitations. The recent advancements in retinal prosthesis technology are also outlined, emphasizing progress in engineering and the outlook of retinal prostheses. While acknowledging the challenges and complexities of the technology, this article highlights the significant potential of retinal prostheses for vision restoration in individuals with retinal diseases and calls for continued research and development to refine and enhance their performance, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y. Wu
- Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 2E8, Canada; (K.Y.W.)
| | - Mina Mina
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Jean-Yves Sahyoun
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Ananda Kalevar
- Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1G 2E8, Canada; (K.Y.W.)
| | - Simon D. Tran
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
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47
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Hahn J, Monavarfeshani A, Qiao M, Kao A, Kölsch Y, Kumar A, Kunze VP, Rasys AM, Richardson R, Baier H, Lucas RJ, Li W, Meister M, Trachtenberg JT, Yan W, Peng YR, Sanes JR, Shekhar K. Evolution of neuronal cell classes and types in the vertebrate retina. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.07.536039. [PMID: 37066415 PMCID: PMC10104162 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.07.536039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The basic plan of the retina is conserved across vertebrates, yet species differ profoundly in their visual needs (Baden et al., 2020). One might expect that retinal cell types evolved to accommodate these varied needs, but this has not been systematically studied. Here, we generated and integrated single-cell transcriptomic atlases of the retina from 17 species: humans, two non-human primates, four rodents, three ungulates, opossum, ferret, tree shrew, a teleost fish, a bird, a reptile and a lamprey. Molecular conservation of the six retinal cell classes (photoreceptors, horizontal cells, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, retinal ganglion cells [RGCs] and Muller glia) is striking, with transcriptomic differences across species correlated with evolutionary distance. Major subclasses are also conserved, whereas variation among types within classes or subclasses is more pronounced. However, an integrative analysis revealed that numerous types are shared across species based on conserved gene expression programs that likely trace back to the common ancestor of jawed vertebrates. The degree of variation among types increases from the outer retina (photoreceptors) to the inner retina (RGCs), suggesting that evolution acts preferentially to shape the retinal output. Finally, we identified mammalian orthologs of midget RGCs, which comprise >80% of RGCs in the human retina, subserve high-acuity vision, and were believed to be primate-specific (Berson, 2008); in contrast, the mouse orthologs comprise <2% of mouse RGCs. Projections both primate and mouse orthologous types are overrepresented in the thalamus, which supplies the primary visual cortex. We suggest that midget RGCs are not primate innovations, but descendants of evolutionarily ancient types that decreased in size and increased in number as primates evolved, thereby facilitating high visual acuity and increased cortical processing of visual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Hahn
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Aboozar Monavarfeshani
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mu Qiao
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Allison Kao
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yvonne Kölsch
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ayush Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Vincent P Kunze
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ashley M. Rasys
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Rose Richardson
- Division of Neuroscience and Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Upper Brook Street, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Robert J. Lucas
- Division of Neuroscience and Centre for Biological Timing, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Upper Brook Street, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Wei Li
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Markus Meister
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Joshua T. Trachtenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wenjun Yan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yi-Rong Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095 United States
| | - Joshua R. Sanes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, MA 02138, USA
| | - Karthik Shekhar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Vision Science Graduate Group, Center for Computational Biology, Biophysics Graduate Group, California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley CA 94720, USA
- Faculty Scientist, Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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48
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de Montigny J, Sernagor E, Bauer R. Retinal self-organization: a model of retinal ganglion cells and starburst amacrine cells mosaic formation. Open Biol 2023; 13:220217. [PMID: 37015288 PMCID: PMC10072945 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual retinal cell types exhibit semi-regular spatial patterns called retinal mosaics. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and starburst amacrine cells (SACs) are known to exhibit such layouts. Mechanisms responsible for the formation of mosaics are not well understood but follow three main principles: (i) homotypic cells prevent nearby cells from adopting the same type, (ii) cell tangential migration and (iii) cell death. Alongside experiments in mouse, we use BioDynaMo, an agent-based simulation framework, to build a detailed and mechanistic model of mosaic formation. We investigate the implications of the three theories for RGC's mosaic formation. We report that the cell migration mechanism yields the most regular mosaics. In addition, we propose that low-density RGC type mosaics exhibit on average low regularities, and thus we question the relevance of regular spacing as a criterion for a group of RGCs to form a RGC type. We investigate SAC mosaics formation and interactions between the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and inner nuclear layer (INL) populations. We propose that homotypic interactions between the GCL and INL populations during mosaics creation are required to reproduce the observed SAC mosaics' characteristics. This suggests that the GCL and INL populations of SACs might not be independent during retinal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean de Montigny
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Evelyne Sernagor
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Roman Bauer
- Department of Computer Science, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
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49
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Smith BJ, McHugh CF, Hirano AA, Brecha NC, Barnes S. Transient and Sustained Ganglion Cell Light Responses Are Differentially Modulated by Intrinsically Produced Reactive Oxygen Species Acting upon Specific Voltage-Gated Na + Channel Isoforms. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2291-2304. [PMID: 36828637 PMCID: PMC10072295 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1723-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing spike rates drive greater neuronal energy demand. In turn, mitochondrial ATP production leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can modulate ion channel gating. Does ROS production autoregulate the excitability of a neuron? We investigated the links between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) excitability and spike activity-driven ROS production in male and female mice. Changes to the light-evoked and current-evoked spike patterns of functionally identified αRGC subtypes, along with their NaV channel-gating properties, were recorded during experimentally induced decreases and increases of intracellular ROS. During periods of highest spike rates (e.g., following light onset in ON sustained RGCs and light offset in OFF sustained RGCs), these αRGC subtypes responded to reductions of ROS (induced by catalase or glutathione monoethyl ester) with higher spike rates. Increases in ROS (induced by mercaptosuccinate, antimycin-A, or H2O2) lowered spike rates. In ON and OFF transient RGCs, there were no changes in spike rate during ROS decreases but increased ROS increased spiking. This suggests that endogenous ROS are intrinsic neuromodulators in RGCs having high metabolic demands but not in RGCs with lower energy needs. We identified ROS-induced shifts in the voltage-dependent gating of specific isoforms of NaV channels that account for the modulation of ON and OFF sustained RGC spike frequency by ROS-mediated feedback. ROS-induced changes to NaV channel gating, affecting activation and inactivation kinetics, are consistent with the differing spike pattern alterations observed in RGC subtypes. Cell-autonomous generation of ROS during spiking contributes to tuning the spike patterns of RGCs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Energy production within retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is accompanied by metabolic by-products harmful to cellular function. How these by-products modulate the excitability of RGCs bears heavily on visual function and the etiology of optic neuropathies. A novel hypothesis of how RGC metabolism can produce automodulation of electrical signaling was tested by identifying the characteristics and biophysical origins of changes to the excitability of RGCs caused by oxidizing by-products in the retina. This impacts our understanding of the pathophysiology of RGC dysfunction, supporting an emerging model in which increases in oxidizing chemical species during energy production, but not necessarily bioenergetic failure, lead to preferential degeneration of specific subtypes of RGCs, yielding loss of different aspects of visual capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Smith
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Cyrus F McHugh
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
| | - Arlene A Hirano
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Nicholas C Brecha
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California 90073
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Steven Barnes
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
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50
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Reggiani JDS, Jiang Q, Barbini M, Lutas A, Liang L, Fernando J, Deng F, Wan J, Li Y, Chen C, Andermann ML. Brainstem serotonin neurons selectively gate retinal information flow to thalamus. Neuron 2023; 111:711-726.e11. [PMID: 36584680 PMCID: PMC10131437 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types relay parallel streams of visual feature information. We hypothesized that neuromodulators might efficiently control which visual information streams reach the cortex by selectively gating transmission from specific RGC axons in the thalamus. Using fiber photometry recordings, we found that optogenetic stimulation of serotonergic axons in primary visual thalamus of awake mice suppressed ongoing and visually evoked calcium activity and glutamate release from RGC boutons. Two-photon calcium imaging revealed that serotonin axon stimulation suppressed RGC boutons that responded strongly to global changes in luminance more than those responding only to local visual stimuli, while the converse was true for suppression induced by increases in arousal. Converging evidence suggests that differential expression of the 5-HT1B receptor on RGC presynaptic terminals, but not differential density of nearby serotonin axons, may contribute to the selective serotonergic gating of specific visual information streams before they can activate thalamocortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine D S Reggiani
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiufen Jiang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melanie Barbini
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrew Lutas
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liang Liang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jesseba Fernando
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jinxia Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Mark L Andermann
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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