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Clemons MR, Dimico RH, Black C, Schlussler MK, Camerino MJ, Aldinger-Gibson K, Bartle A, Reynolds N, Eisenbrandt D, Rogers A, Andrianu J, Bruce B, Elliot A, Breazeal T, Griffin H, Murphy MK, Fuerst PG. The rod synapse in aging wildtype and Dscaml1 mutant mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290257. [PMID: 37910517 PMCID: PMC10619811 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290257] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The retina is an intricately organized neural tissue built on cone and rod pathways for color and night vision. Genetic mutations that disrupt the proper function of the rod circuit contribute to blinding diseases including retinitis pigmentosa and congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). Down Syndrome cell adhesion molecule like 1 (Dscaml1) is expressed by rods, rod bipolar cells (RBCs), and sub-populations of amacrine cells, and has been linked to a middle age onset of CSNB in humans. However, how Dscaml1 contributes to this visual deficit remains unexplored. Here, we probed Dscaml1's role in the maintenance of the rod-to-RBC synapse using a loss of function mouse model. We used immunohistochemistry to investigate the anatomical formation and maintenance of the rod-to-RBC synapse in the young, adult, and aging retina. We generated 3D reconstructions, using serial electron micrographs, of rod spherules and RBCs to measure the number of invaginating neurites, RBC dendritic tip number, and RBC mitochondrial morphology. We find that while rod-to-RBC synapses form and are maintained, similar to wildtype, that there is an increase in the number of invaginating neurites in rod spherules, a reduction in RBC dendritic tips, and reduced mitochondrial volume and complexity in the Dscaml1 mutant retina compared to controls. We also observed precocious sprouting of RBC dendrites into the outer nuclear layer (ONL) of the Dscaml1 mutant retina compared to controls. These results contribute to our knowledge of Dscaml1's role in rod circuit development and maintenance and give additional insight into possible genetic therapy targets for blinding diseases and disorders like CSNB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mellisa R. Clemons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Ren H. Dimico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Cailyn Black
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Megan K. Schlussler
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Camerino
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Kirah Aldinger-Gibson
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Amaris Bartle
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Nathan Reynolds
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Dylan Eisenbrandt
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Aspen Rogers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - John Andrianu
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Bradley Bruce
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Arthur Elliot
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Tom Breazeal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Hannah Griffin
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Molly K. Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- Natural Sciences, North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Peter G. Fuerst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
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Sawant A, Saha A, Khoussine J, Sinha R, Hoon M. New insights into retinal circuits through EM connectomics: what we have learnt and what remains to be learned. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1168548. [PMID: 38983069 PMCID: PMC11182165 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1168548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
The retinal neural circuit is intricately wired for efficient processing of visual signals. This is well-supported by the specialized connections between retinal neurons at both the functional and ultrastructural levels. Through 3D electron microscopic (EM) reconstructions of retinal neurons and circuits we have learnt much about the specificities of connections within the retinal layers including new insights into how retinal neurons establish connections and perform sophisticated visual computations. This mini-review will summarize the retinal circuitry and provide details about the novel insights EM connectomics has brought into our understanding of the retinal circuitry. We will also discuss unresolved questions about the retinal circuitry that can be addressed by EM connectomics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilash Sawant
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aindrila Saha
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jacob Khoussine
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Raunak Sinha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Mrinalini Hoon
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Tsukamoto Y, Omi N. Multiple Invagination Patterns and Synaptic Efficacy in Primate and Mouse Rod Synaptic Terminals. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:11. [PMID: 35819284 PMCID: PMC9287620 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.8.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Optical retina images are scaled based on eye size, which results in a linear scale ratio of 10:1 for human versus mouse and 7:1 for macaque monkey versus mouse. We examined how this scale difference correlates with the structural configuration of synaptic wiring in the rod spherule (RS) between macaque and mouse retinas compared with human data. Methods Rod bipolar cell (BC) dendrites and horizontal cell (HC) axonal processes, which invaginate the RS to form synaptic ribbon-associated triads, were examined by serial section transmission electron microscopy. Results The number of rod BC invaginating dendrites ranged 1∼4 in the macaque RS but only 1∼2 in the mouse. Approximately 40% of those dendrites bifurcated into two central elements in the macaque, but 2% of those dendrites did in the mouse. Both factors gave rise to 10 invagination patterns of BC and HC neurites in the macaque RS but only two in the mouse. Five morphological parameters: the lengths of arciform densities and ribbons, the area of the BC-RS contact, and the surface areas of BC and HC invaginating neurites, were all independent of the invagination patterns in the macaque RS. However, those parameters were significantly greater in the macaque than in the mouse by ratios of 1.5∼1.8. Conclusions The primate RS provides a more expansive BC-RS interface associated with the longer arciform density and more branched invaginating neurites of BCs and HCs than the mouse RS. The resulting greater synaptic contact area may contribute to more efficient signal transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Tsukamoto
- Department of Biology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawa, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.,Studio EM-Retina, Satonaka, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.,Center for Systems Vision Science, Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Naoko Omi
- Studio EM-Retina, Satonaka, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
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Behrens C, Yadav SC, Korympidou MM, Zhang Y, Haverkamp S, Irsen S, Schaedler A, Lu X, Liu Z, Lause J, St-Pierre F, Franke K, Vlasits A, Dedek K, Smith RG, Euler T, Berens P, Schubert T. Retinal horizontal cells use different synaptic sites for global feedforward and local feedback signaling. Curr Biol 2022; 32:545-558.e5. [PMID: 34910950 PMCID: PMC8886496 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the mammalian retina, cone photoreceptors (cones) provide input to more than a dozen types of cone bipolar cells (CBCs). In the mouse, this transmission is modulated by a single horizontal cell (HC) type. HCs perform global signaling within their laterally coupled network but also provide local, cone-specific feedback. However, it is unknown how HCs provide local feedback to cones at the same time as global forward signaling to CBCs and where the underlying synapses are located. To assess how HCs simultaneously perform different modes of signaling, we reconstructed the dendritic trees of five HCs as well as cone axon terminals and CBC dendrites in a serial block-face electron microscopy volume and analyzed their connectivity. In addition to the fine HC dendritic tips invaginating cone axon terminals, we also identified "bulbs," short segments of increased dendritic diameter on the primary dendrites of HCs. These bulbs are in an OPL stratum well below the cone axon terminal base and make contacts with other HCs and CBCs. Our results from immunolabeling, electron microscopy, and glutamate imaging suggest that HC bulbs represent GABAergic synapses that do not receive any direct photoreceptor input. Together, our data suggest the existence of two synaptic strata in the mouse OPL, spatially separating cone-specific feedback and feedforward signaling to CBCs. A biophysical model of a HC dendritic branch and voltage imaging support the hypothesis that this spatial arrangement of synaptic contacts allows for simultaneous local feedback and global feedforward signaling by HCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Behrens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shubhash Chandra Yadav
- Neurosensorics/Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Maria M Korympidou
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yue Zhang
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Silke Haverkamp
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Stephan Irsen
- Electron Microscopy and Analytics, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Schaedler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, 6500 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Zhuohe Liu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jan Lause
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - François St-Pierre
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Program, Rice University, 6500 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX 77005, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katrin Franke
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna Vlasits
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karin Dedek
- Neurosensorics/Animal Navigation, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Robert G Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Tübingen AI Center, University of Tübingen, Maria-von-Linden-Straße 6, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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Ichinose T, Habib S. ON and OFF Signaling Pathways in the Retina and the Visual System. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2022; 2:989002. [PMID: 36926308 PMCID: PMC10016624 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2022.989002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Visual processing starts at the retina of the eye, and signals are then transferred primarily to the visual cortex and the tectum. In the retina, multiple neural networks encode different aspects of visual input, such as color and motion. Subsequently, multiple neural streams in parallel convey unique aspects of visual information to cortical and subcortical regions. Bipolar cells, which are the second order neurons of the retina, separate visual signals evoked by light and dark contrasts and encode them to ON and OFF pathways, respectively. The interplay between ON and OFF neural signals is the foundation for visual processing for object contrast which underlies higher order stimulus processing. ON and OFF pathways have been classically thought to signal in a mirror-symmetric manner. However, while these two pathways contribute synergistically to visual perception in some instances, they have pronounced asymmetries suggesting independent operation in other cases. In this review, we summarize the role of the ON-OFF dichotomy in visual signaling, aiming to contribute to the understanding of visual recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomomi Ichinose
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Correspondence: Tomomi Ichinose, MD, PhD,
| | - Samar Habib
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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Cangiano L, Asteriti S. Interphotoreceptor coupling: an evolutionary perspective. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:1539-1554. [PMID: 33988778 PMCID: PMC8370920 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-021-02572-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In the vertebrate retina, signals generated by cones of different spectral preference and by highly sensitive rod photoreceptors interact at various levels to extract salient visual information. The first opportunity for such interaction is offered by electrical coupling of the photoreceptors themselves, which is mediated by gap junctions located at the contact points of specialised cellular processes: synaptic terminals, telodendria and radial fins. Here, we examine the evolutionary pressures for and against interphotoreceptor coupling, which are likely to have shaped how coupling is deployed in different species. The impact of coupling on signal to noise ratio, spatial acuity, contrast sensitivity, absolute and increment threshold, retinal signal flow and colour discrimination is discussed while emphasising available data from a variety of vertebrate models spanning from lampreys to primates. We highlight the many gaps in our knowledge, persisting discrepancies in the literature, as well as some major unanswered questions on the actual extent and physiological role of cone-cone, rod-cone and rod-rod communication. Lastly, we point toward limited but intriguing evidence suggestive of the ancestral form of coupling among ciliary photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Cangiano
- Dept. of Translational Research, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 31, 56123, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Sabrina Asteriti
- Dept. of Translational Research, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 31, 56123, Pisa, Italy
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7
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Whitaker CM, Nobles G, Ishibashi M, Massey SC. Rod and Cone Connections With Bipolar Cells in the Rabbit Retina. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:662329. [PMID: 34025360 PMCID: PMC8134685 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.662329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rod and cone pathways are segregated in the first stage of the retina: cones synapse with both ON- and OFF-cone bipolar cells while rods contact only rod bipolar cells. However, there is an exception to this specific wiring in that rods also contact certain OFF cone bipolar cells, providing a tertiary rod pathway. Recently, it has been proposed that there is even more crossover between rod and cone pathways. Physiological recordings suggested that rod bipolar cells receive input from cones, and ON cone bipolar cells can receive input from rods, in addition to the established pathways. To image their rod and cone contacts, we have dye-filled individual rod bipolar cells in the rabbit retina. We report that approximately half the rod bipolar cells receive one or two cone contacts. Dye-filling AII amacrine cells, combined with subtractive labeling, revealed most of the ON cone bipolar cells to which they were coupled, including the occasional blue cone bipolar cell, identified by its contacts with blue cones. Imaging the AII-coupled ON cone bipolar dendrites in this way showed that they contact cones exclusively. We conclude that there is some limited cone input to rod bipolar cells, but we could find no evidence for rod contacts with ON cone bipolar cells. The tertiary rod OFF pathway operates via direct contacts between rods and OFF cone bipolar cells. In contrast, our results do not support the presence of a tertiary rod ON pathway in the rabbit retina.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Stephen C. Massey
- Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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8
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Burger CA, Jiang D, Mackin RD, Samuel MA. Development and maintenance of vision's first synapse. Dev Biol 2021; 476:218-239. [PMID: 33848537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synapses in the outer retina are the first information relay points in vision. Here, photoreceptors form synapses onto two types of interneurons, bipolar cells and horizontal cells. Because outer retina synapses are particularly large and highly ordered, they have been a useful system for the discovery of mechanisms underlying synapse specificity and maintenance. Understanding these processes is critical to efforts aimed at restoring visual function through repairing or replacing neurons and promoting their connectivity. We review outer retina neuron synapse architecture, neural migration modes, and the cellular and molecular pathways that play key roles in the development and maintenance of these connections. We further discuss how these mechanisms may impact connectivity in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Burger
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Danye Jiang
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Robert D Mackin
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Melanie A Samuel
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Glycinergic Inhibition Targets Specific Off Cone Bipolar Cells in Primate Retina. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0432-20.2020. [PMID: 33188005 PMCID: PMC7920536 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0432-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Adapting between scotopic and photopic illumination involves switching the routing of retinal signals between rod and cone-dominated circuits. In the daytime, cone signals pass through parallel On and Off cone bipolar cells (CBCs), that are sensitive to increments and decrements in luminance, respectively. At night, rod signals are routed into these cone-pathways via a key glycinergic interneuron, the AII amacrine cell (AII-AC). AII-ACs also provide On-pathway-driven crossover inhibition to Off-CBCs under photopic conditions. In primates, it is not known whether all Off-bipolar cell types receive functional inputs from AII-ACs. Here, we show that select Off-CBC types receive significantly higher levels of On-pathway-driven glycinergic input than others. The rise and decay kinetics of the glycinergic events are consistent with involvement of the α1 glycine receptor (GlyR) subunit, a result supported by a higher level of GLRA1 transcript in these cells. The Off-bipolar types that receive glycinergic input have sustained physiological properties and include the flat midget bipolar (FMB) cells, which provide excitatory input to the Off-midget ganglion cells (GCs; parvocellular pathway). Our results suggest that only a subset of Off-bipolar cells have the requisite receptors to respond to AII-AC input. Taken together with results in mouse retina, our findings suggest a conserved motif whereby signal output from AII-ACs is preferentially routed into sustained Off-bipolar signaling pathways.
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10
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Pfeiffer RL, Anderson JR, Dahal J, Garcia JC, Yang JH, Sigulinsky CL, Rapp K, Emrich DP, Watt CB, Johnstun HA, Houser AR, Marc RE, Jones BW. A pathoconnectome of early neurodegeneration: Network changes in retinal degeneration. Exp Eye Res 2020; 199:108196. [PMID: 32810483 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Connectomics has demonstrated that synaptic networks and their topologies are precise and directly correlate with physiology and behavior. The next extension of connectomics is pathoconnectomics: to map neural network synaptology and circuit topologies corrupted by neurological disease in order to identify robust targets for therapeutics. In this report, we characterize a pathoconnectome of early retinal degeneration. This pathoconnectome was generated using serial section transmission electron microscopy to achieve an ultrastructural connectome with 2.18nm/px resolution for accurate identification of all chemical and gap junctional synapses. We observe aberrant connectivity in the rod-network pathway and novel synaptic connections deriving from neurite sprouting. These observations reveal principles of neuron responses to the loss of network components and can be extended to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Pfeiffer
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - James R Anderson
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jeebika Dahal
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jessica C Garcia
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jia-Hui Yang
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | | | - Kevin Rapp
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Daniel P Emrich
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Carl B Watt
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hope Ab Johnstun
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Alexis R Houser
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Robert E Marc
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Signature Immunologics, Torrey, UT, USA
| | - Bryan W Jones
- John Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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11
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Network Architecture of Gap Junctional Coupling among Parallel Processing Channels in the Mammalian Retina. J Neurosci 2020; 40:4483-4511. [PMID: 32332119 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1810-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions are ubiquitous throughout the nervous system, mediating critical signal transmission and integration, as well as emergent network properties. In mammalian retina, gap junctions within the Aii amacrine cell-ON cone bipolar cell (CBC) network are essential for night vision, modulation of day vision, and contribute to visual impairment in retinal degenerations, yet neither the extended network topology nor its conservation is well established. Here, we map the network contribution of gap junctions using a high-resolution connectomics dataset of an adult female rabbit retina. Gap junctions are prominent synaptic components of ON CBC classes, constituting 5%-25% of all axonal synaptic contacts. Many of these mediate canonical transfer of rod signals from Aii cells to ON CBCs for night vision, and we find that the uneven distribution of Aii signals to ON CBCs is conserved in rabbit, including one class entirely lacking direct Aii coupling. However, the majority of gap junctions formed by ON CBCs unexpectedly occur between ON CBCs, rather than with Aii cells. Such coupling is extensive, creating an interconnected network with numerous lateral paths both within, and particularly across, these parallel processing streams. Coupling patterns are precise with ON CBCs accepting and rejecting unique combinations of partnerships according to robust rulesets. Coupling specificity extends to both size and spatial topologies, thereby rivaling the synaptic specificity of chemical synapses. These ON CBC coupling motifs dramatically extend the coupled Aii-ON CBC network, with implications for signal flow in both scotopic and photopic retinal networks during visual processing and disease.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Electrical synapses mediated by gap junctions are fundamental components of neural networks. In retina, coupling within the Aii-ON CBC network shapes visual processing in both the scotopic and photopic networks. In retinal degenerations, these same gap junctions mediate oscillatory activity that contributes to visual impairment. Here, we use high-resolution connectomics strategies to identify gap junctions and cellular partnerships. We describe novel, pervasive motifs both within and across classes of ON CBCs that dramatically extend the Aii-ON CBC network. These motifs are highly specific with implications for both signal processing within the retina and therapeutic interventions for blinding conditions. These findings highlight the underappreciated contribution of coupling motifs in retinal circuitry and the necessity of their detection in connectomics studies.
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12
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Grünert U, Martin PR. Cell types and cell circuits in human and non-human primate retina. Prog Retin Eye Res 2020; 78:100844. [PMID: 32032773 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes our current knowledge of primate including human retina focusing on bipolar, amacrine and ganglion cells and their connectivity. We have two main motivations in writing. Firstly, recent progress in non-invasive imaging methods to study retinal diseases mean that better understanding of the primate retina is becoming an important goal both for basic and for clinical sciences. Secondly, genetically modified mice are increasingly used as animal models for human retinal diseases. Thus, it is important to understand to which extent the retinas of primates and rodents are comparable. We first compare cell populations in primate and rodent retinas, with emphasis on how the fovea (despite its small size) dominates the neural landscape of primate retina. We next summarise what is known, and what is not known, about the postreceptoral neurone populations in primate retina. The inventories of bipolar and ganglion cells in primates are now nearing completion, comprising ~12 types of bipolar cell and at least 17 types of ganglion cell. Primate ganglion cells show clear differences in dendritic field size across the retina, and their morphology differs clearly from that of mouse retinal ganglion cells. Compared to bipolar and ganglion cells, amacrine cells show even higher morphological diversity: they could comprise over 40 types. Many amacrine types appear conserved between primates and mice, but functions of only a few types are understood in any primate or non-primate retina. Amacrine cells appear as the final frontier for retinal research in monkeys and mice alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Grünert
- The University of Sydney, Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Sydney Node, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
| | - Paul R Martin
- The University of Sydney, Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Sydney Node, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
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13
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Moser T, Grabner CP, Schmitz F. Sensory Processing at Ribbon Synapses in the Retina and the Cochlea. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:103-144. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00026.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, sensory neuroscientists have made major efforts to dissect the structure and function of ribbon synapses which process sensory information in the eye and ear. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of two key aspects of ribbon synapses: 1) their mechanisms of exocytosis and endocytosis and 2) their molecular anatomy and physiology. Our comparison of ribbon synapses in the cochlea and the retina reveals convergent signaling mechanisms, as well as divergent strategies in different sensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany; Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany; and Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Chad P. Grabner
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany; Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany; and Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Schmitz
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Auditory Neuroscience Group, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany; Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany; and Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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14
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Lee SCS, Martin PR, Grünert U. Topography of Neurons in the Rod Pathway of Human Retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 60:2848-2859. [PMID: 31260035 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.19-27217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The objective of this study was to map the distribution and density of the three major components of the classical scotopic "night vision" pathway (rods, rod bipolar, and AII amacrine cells) in postmortem human retinas. Methods Four postmortem donor eyes (male and female, aged 44-56 years) were used to cut vertical sections through the temporal horizontal meridian. The sections were processed for immunohistochemistry and imaged using high-resolution multichannel confocal microscopy. Rods, rod bipolar, and AII amacrine cells were counted along the temporal horizontal meridian. Two additional retinas were used for intracellular injections. Results Rod peak density is close to 150,000 cells/mm2 at 4 to 5 mm (15° to 20°) eccentricity, declining to below 70,000 cells/mm2 in peripheral retina. Rod bipolar density is lower but follows a similar distribution with peak density near 10,000 cells/mm2 between 2 and 4 mm (7° to 15°) eccentricity declining to below 4000 cells/mm2 in peripheral retina. The peak density of AII amacrine cells (near 4000 cells/mm2) is located close to the fovea, at 0.5- to 2 mm-eccentricity (2° to 7°) and declines to below 1000 cells/mm2 in the periphery. Thus, convergence between rods and AII cells increases from central to peripheral retina. Conclusions Comparison with human psychophysics and ganglion cell density indicates that the spatial resolution of scotopic vision is limited by the AII mosaic at eccentricities below 15° and by the midget ganglion cell mosaic at eccentricities above 15°.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sammy C S Lee
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Save Sight Institute and Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul R Martin
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Save Sight Institute and Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ulrike Grünert
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Save Sight Institute and Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Rod Photoreceptors Signal Fast Changes in Daylight Levels Using a Cx36-Independent Retinal Pathway in Mouse. J Neurosci 2019; 40:796-810. [PMID: 31776212 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0455-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporal contrast detected by rod photoreceptors is channeled into multiple retinal rod pathways that ultimately connect to cone photoreceptor pathways via Cx36 gap junctions or via chemical synapses. However, we do not yet understand how the different rod pathways contribute to the perception of temporal contrast (changes in luminance with time) at mesopic light levels, where both rods and cones actively respond to light. Here, we use a forced-choice, operant behavior assay to investigate rod-driven, temporal contrast sensitivity (TCS) in mice of either sex. Transgenic mice with desensitized cones (GNAT2 cpfl3 line) were used to identify rod contributions to TCS in mesopic lights. We found that at low mesopic lights (400 photons/s/μm2 at the retina), control and GNAT2 cpfl3 mice had similar TCS. Surprisingly, at upper mesopic lights (8000 photons/s/μm2), GNAT2 cpfl3 mice exhibited a relative reduction in TCS to low (<12 Hz) while maintaining normal TCS to high (12-36 Hz) temporal frequencies. The rod-driven responses to high temporal frequencies developed gradually over time (>30 min). Furthermore, the TCS of GNAT2 cpfl3 and GNAT2 cpfl3 ::Cx36-/- mice matched closely, indicating that transmission of high-frequency signals (1) does not require the rod-cone Cx36 gap junctions as has been proposed in the past; and (2) a Cx36-independent rod pathway(s) (e.g., direct rod to OFF cone bipolar cell synapses and/or glycinergic synapses from AII amacrine cells to OFF ganglion cells) is sufficient for fast, mesopic rod-driven vision. These findings extend our understanding of the link between visual circuits and perception in mouse.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The contributions of specific retinal pathways to visual perception are not well understood. We found that the temporal processing properties of rod-driven vision in mice change significantly with light level. In dim lights, rods relay relatively slow temporal variations. However, in daylight conditions, rod pathways exhibit high sensitivity to fast but not to slow temporal variations, whereas cone-driven responses supplement the loss in rod-driven sensitivity to slow temporal variations. Our findings highlight the dynamic interplay of rod- and cone-driven vision as light levels rise from night to daytime levels. Furthermore, the fast, rod-driven signals do not require the rod-to-cone Cx36 gap junctions as proposed in the past, but rather, can be relayed by alternative Cx36-independent rod pathways.
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16
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Van Hook MJ, Nawy S, Thoreson WB. Voltage- and calcium-gated ion channels of neurons in the vertebrate retina. Prog Retin Eye Res 2019; 72:100760. [PMID: 31078724 PMCID: PMC6739185 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we summarize studies investigating the types and distribution of voltage- and calcium-gated ion channels in the different classes of retinal neurons: rods, cones, horizontal cells, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, interplexiform cells, and ganglion cells. We discuss differences among cell subtypes within these major cell classes, as well as differences among species, and consider how different ion channels shape the responses of different neurons. For example, even though second-order bipolar and horizontal cells do not typically generate fast sodium-dependent action potentials, many of these cells nevertheless possess fast sodium currents that can enhance their kinetic response capabilities. Ca2+ channel activity can also shape response kinetics as well as regulating synaptic release. The L-type Ca2+ channel subtype, CaV1.4, expressed in photoreceptor cells exhibits specific properties matching the particular needs of these cells such as limited inactivation which allows sustained channel activity and maintained synaptic release in darkness. The particular properties of K+ and Cl- channels in different retinal neurons shape resting membrane potentials, response kinetics and spiking behavior. A remaining challenge is to characterize the specific distributions of ion channels in the more than 100 individual cell types that have been identified in the retina and to describe how these particular ion channels sculpt neuronal responses to assist in the processing of visual information by the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Van Hook
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Scott Nawy
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Department Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience(2), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Wallace B Thoreson
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Department Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience(2), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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17
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Thoreson WB, Dacey DM. Diverse Cell Types, Circuits, and Mechanisms for Color Vision in the Vertebrate Retina. Physiol Rev 2019; 99:1527-1573. [PMID: 31140374 PMCID: PMC6689740 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00027.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic interactions to extract information about wavelength, and thus color, begin in the vertebrate retina with three classes of light-sensitive cells: rod photoreceptors at low light levels, multiple types of cone photoreceptors that vary in spectral sensitivity, and intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells that contain the photopigment melanopsin. When isolated from its neighbors, a photoreceptor confounds photon flux with wavelength and so by itself provides no information about color. The retina has evolved elaborate color opponent circuitry for extracting wavelength information by comparing the activities of different photoreceptor types broadly tuned to different parts of the visible spectrum. We review studies concerning the circuit mechanisms mediating opponent interactions in a range of species, from tetrachromatic fish with diverse color opponent cell types to common dichromatic mammals where cone opponency is restricted to a subset of specialized circuits. Distinct among mammals, primates have reinvented trichromatic color vision using novel strategies to incorporate evolution of an additional photopigment gene into the foveal structure and circuitry that supports high-resolution vision. Color vision is absent at scotopic light levels when only rods are active, but rods interact with cone signals to influence color perception at mesopic light levels. Recent evidence suggests melanopsin-mediated signals, which have been identified as a substrate for setting circadian rhythms, may also influence color perception. We consider circuits that may mediate these interactions. While cone opponency is a relatively simple neural computation, it has been implemented in vertebrates by diverse neural mechanisms that are not yet fully understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace B Thoreson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, Nebraska ; and Department of Biological Structure, Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington
| | - Dennis M Dacey
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, Nebraska ; and Department of Biological Structure, Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington
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18
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Yu WQ, El-Danaf RN, Okawa H, Pacholec JM, Matti U, Schwarz K, Odermatt B, Dunn FA, Lagnado L, Schmitz F, Huberman AD, Wong ROL. Synaptic Convergence Patterns onto Retinal Ganglion Cells Are Preserved despite Topographic Variation in Pre- and Postsynaptic Territories. Cell Rep 2018; 25:2017-2026.e3. [PMID: 30463000 PMCID: PMC6317877 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.10.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory processing can be tuned by a neuron's integration area, the types of inputs, and the proportion and number of connections with those inputs. Integration areas often vary topographically to sample space differentially across regions. Here, we highlight two visual circuits in which topographic changes in the postsynaptic retinal ganglion cell (RGC) dendritic territories and their presynaptic bipolar cell (BC) axonal territories are either matched or unmatched. Despite this difference, in both circuits, the proportion of inputs from each BC type, i.e., synaptic convergence between specific BCs and RGCs, remained constant across varying dendritic territory sizes. Furthermore, synapse density between BCs and RGCs was invariant across topography. Our results demonstrate a wiring design, likely engaging homotypic axonal tiling of BCs, that ensures consistency in synaptic convergence between specific BC types onto their target RGCs while enabling independent regulation of pre- and postsynaptic territory sizes and synapse number between cell pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Qing Yu
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rana N El-Danaf
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Haruhisa Okawa
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Justin M Pacholec
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ulf Matti
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School Homburg/Saar, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Karin Schwarz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School Homburg/Saar, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | | | - Felice A Dunn
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Leon Lagnado
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Frank Schmitz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical School Homburg/Saar, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Andrew D Huberman
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology, Stanford Neurosciences Institute, and BioX, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rachel O L Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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19
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Grimes WN, Baudin J, Azevedo AW, Rieke F. Range, routing and kinetics of rod signaling in primate retina. eLife 2018; 7:38281. [PMID: 30299254 PMCID: PMC6218188 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulus- or context-dependent routing of neural signals through parallel pathways can permit flexible processing of diverse inputs. For example, work in mouse shows that rod photoreceptor signals are routed through several retinal pathways, each specialized for different light levels. This light-level-dependent routing of rod signals has been invoked to explain several human perceptual results, but it has not been tested in primate retina. Here, we show, surprisingly, that rod signals traverse the primate retina almost exclusively through a single pathway – the dedicated rod bipolar pathway. Identical experiments in mouse and primate reveal substantial differences in how rod signals traverse the retina. These results require reevaluating human perceptual results in terms of flexible computation within this single pathway. This includes a prominent speeding of rod signals with light level – which we show is inherited directly from the rod photoreceptors themselves rather than from different pathways with distinct kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- William N Grimes
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Jacob Baudin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Anthony W Azevedo
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Fred Rieke
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
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20
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Grimes WN, Songco-Aguas A, Rieke F. Parallel Processing of Rod and Cone Signals: Retinal Function and Human Perception. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2018; 4:123-141. [PMID: 29883274 PMCID: PMC6153147 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-091517-034055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We know a good deal about the operation of the retina when either rod or cone photoreceptors provide the dominant input (i.e., under very dim or very bright conditions). However, we know much less about how the retina operates when rods and cones are coactive (i.e., under intermediate lighting conditions, such as dusk). Such mesopic conditions span 20-30% of the light levels over which vision operates and encompass many situations in which vision is essential (e.g., driving at night). These lighting conditions are challenging because rod and cone signals differ substantially: Rod responses are nearing saturation, while cone responses are weak and noisy. A rich history of perceptual studies guides our investigation of how the retina operates under mesopic conditions and in doing so provides a powerful opportunity to link general issues about parallel processing in neural circuits with computation and perception. We review some of the successes and challenges in understanding the retinal basis of perceptual rod-cone interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- William N Grimes
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
| | - Adree Songco-Aguas
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
| | - Fred Rieke
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA;
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21
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Pang JJ, Yang Z, Jacoby RA, Wu SM. Cone synapses in mammalian retinal rod bipolar cells. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1896-1909. [PMID: 29667170 PMCID: PMC6031453 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Some mammalian rod bipolar cells (RBCs) can receive excitatory chemical synaptic inputs from both rods and cones (DBCR2 ), but anatomical evidence for mammalian cone-RBC contacts has been sparse. We examined anatomical cone-RBC contacts using neurobiotin (NB) to visualize individual mouse cones and standard immuno-markers to identify RBCs, cone pedicles and synapses in mouse and baboon retinas. Peanut agglutinin (PNA) stained the basal membrane of all cone pedicles, and mouse cones were positive for red/green (R/G)-opsin, whereas baboon cones were positive for calbindin D-28k. All synapses in the outer plexiform layer were labeled for synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2) and PSD (postsynaptic density)-95, and those that coincided with PNA resided closest to bipolar cell somas. Cone-RBC synaptic contacts were identified by: (a) RBC dendrites deeply invaginating into the center of cone pedicles (invaginating synapses), (b) RBC dendritic spines intruding into the surface of cone pedicles (superficial synapses), and (c) PKCα immunoreactivity coinciding with synaptic marker SV2, PSD-95, mGluR6, G protein beta 5 or PNA at cone pedicles. One RBC could form 0-1 invaginating and 1-3 superficial contacts with cones. 20.7% and 38.9% of mouse RBCs contacted cones in the peripheral and central retina (p < .05, n = 14 samples), respectively, while 34.4% (peripheral) and 48.5% (central) of cones contacted RBCs (p > .05). In baboon retinas (n = 4 samples), cone-RBC contacts involved 12.2% of RBCs (n = 416 cells) and 22.5% of cones (n = 225 cells). This suggests that rod and cone signals in the ON pathway are integrated in some RBCs before reaching AII amacrine cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Jie Pang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Zhuo Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Roy A Jacoby
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Samuel M Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, 77030
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22
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Abstract
We have long known that rod and cone signals interact within the retina and can even contribute to color vision, but the extent of these influences has remained unclear. New results with more powerful methods of RNA expression profiling, specific cell labeling, and single-cell recording have provided greater clarity and are showing that rod and cone signals can mix at virtually every level of signal processing. These interactions influence the integration of retinal signals and make an important contribution to visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Fain
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7000, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Terasaki Life Sciences, 610 Charles E. Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7239, USA
| | - Alapakkam P Sampath
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7000, USA
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23
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Abstract
The mouse retina has a layered structure that is composed of five classes of neurons supported by Müller glial and pigment epithelial cells. Recent studies have made progress in the classification of bipolar and ganglion cells, and also in the wiring of rod-driven signaling, color coding, and directional selectivity. Molecular biological techniques, such as genetic manipulation, transcriptomics, and fluorescence imaging, have contributed a lot to these advancements. The mouse retina has consistently been an important experimental system for both basic and clinical neurosciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Tsukamoto
- Department of Biology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
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24
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Simmons AB, Bloomsburg SJ, Sukeena JM, Miller CJ, Ortega-Burgos Y, Borghuis BG, Fuerst PG. DSCAM-mediated control of dendritic and axonal arbor outgrowth enforces tiling and inhibits synaptic plasticity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10224-E10233. [PMID: 29114051 PMCID: PMC5703318 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713548114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature mammalian neurons have a limited ability to extend neurites and make new synaptic connections, but the mechanisms that inhibit such plasticity remain poorly understood. Here, we report that OFF-type retinal bipolar cells in mice are an exception to this rule, as they form new anatomical connections within their tiled dendritic fields well after retinal maturity. The Down syndrome cell-adhesion molecule (Dscam) confines these anatomical rearrangements within the normal tiled fields, as conditional deletion of the gene permits extension of dendrite and axon arbors beyond these borders. Dscam deletion in the mature retina results in expanded dendritic fields and increased cone photoreceptor contacts, demonstrating that DSCAM actively inhibits circuit-level plasticity. Electrophysiological recordings from Dscam-/- OFF bipolar cells showed enlarged visual receptive fields, demonstrating that expanded dendritic territories comprise functional synapses. Our results identify cell-adhesion molecule-mediated inhibition as a regulator of circuit-level neuronal plasticity in the adult retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron B Simmons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | | | - Joshua M Sukeena
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | - Calvin J Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | - Yohaniz Ortega-Burgos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, Humacao Puerto Rico, 00792
| | - Bart G Borghuis
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202;
| | - Peter G Fuerst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844;
- Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, ID 83844
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25
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Tsukamoto Y, Omi N. Classification of Mouse Retinal Bipolar Cells: Type-Specific Connectivity with Special Reference to Rod-Driven AII Amacrine Pathways. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:92. [PMID: 29114208 PMCID: PMC5660706 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We confirmed the classification of 15 morphological types of mouse bipolar cells by serial section transmission electron microscopy and characterized each type by identifying chemical synapses and gap junctions at axon terminals. Although whether the previous type 5 cells consist of two or three types was uncertain, they are here clustered into three types based on the vertical distribution of axonal ribbons. Next, while two groups of rod bipolar (RB) cells, RB1, and RB2, were previously proposed, we clarify that a half of RB1 cells have the intermediate characteristics, suggesting that these two groups comprise a single RB type. After validation of bipolar cell types, we examined their relationship with amacrine cells then particularly with AII amacrine cells. We found a strong correlation between the number of amacrine cell synaptic contacts and the number of bipolar cell axonal ribbons. Formation of bipolar cell output at each ribbon synapse may be effectively regulated by a few nearby inhibitory inputs of amacrine cells which are chosen from among many amacrine cell types. We also found that almost all types of ON cone bipolar cells frequently have a minor group of midway ribbons along the axon passing through the OFF sublamina as well as a major group of terminal ribbons in the ON sublamina. AII amacrine cells are connected to five of six OFF bipolar cell types via conventional chemical synapses and seven of eight ON (cone) bipolar cell types via electrical synapses (gap junctions). However, the number of synapses is dependent on bipolar cell types. Type 2 cells have 69% of the total number of OFF bipolar chemical synaptic contacts with AII amacrine cells and type 6 cells have 46% of the total area of ON bipolar gap junctions with AII amacrine cells. Both type 2 and 6 cells gain the greatest access to AII amacrine cell signals also share those signals with other types of bipolar cells via networked gap junctions. These findings imply that the most sensitive scotopic signal may be conveyed to the center by ganglion cells that have the most numerous synapses with type 2 and 6 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Tsukamoto
- Studio EM-Retina, Nishinomiya, Japan.,Department of Biology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Naoko Omi
- Studio EM-Retina, Nishinomiya, Japan
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26
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Rogerson LE, Behrens C, Euler T, Berens P, Schubert T. Connectomics of synaptic microcircuits: lessons from the outer retina. J Physiol 2017; 595:5517-5524. [PMID: 28295344 PMCID: PMC5556146 DOI: 10.1113/jp273671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Photoreceptors form a sophisticated synaptic complex with bipolar and horizontal cells, transmitting the signals generated by the phototransduction cascade to downstream retinal circuitry. The cone photoreceptor synapse shows several characteristic anatomical connectivity motifs that shape signal transfer: typically, ON-cone bipolar cells receive photoreceptor input through invaginating synapses; OFF-cone bipolar cells form basal synapses with photoreceptors. Both ON- and OFF-cone bipolar cells are believed to sample from all cone photoreceptors within their dendritic span. Electron microscopy and immunolabelling studies have established the robustness of these motifs, but have been limited by trade-offs in sample size and spatial resolution, respectively, constraining precise quantitative investigation to a few individual cells. 3D-serial electron microscopy overcomes these limitations and has permitted complete sets of neurons to be reconstructed over a comparatively large section of retinal tissue. Although the published mouse dataset lacks labels for synaptic structures, the characteristic anatomical motifs at the photoreceptor synapse can be exploited to identify putative synaptic contacts, which has enabled the development of a quantitative description of outer retinal connectivity. This revealed unexpected exceptions to classical motifs, including substantial interaction between rod and cone pathways at the photoreceptor synapse, sparse photoreceptor sampling and atypical contacts. Here, we summarize what was learned from this study in a more general context: we consider both the implications and limitations of the study and identify promising avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Edward Rogerson
- Institute for Ophthalmic ResearchUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Graduate Training Centre of NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
| | - Christian Behrens
- Institute for Ophthalmic ResearchUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Graduate Training Centre of NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute for Ophthalmic ResearchUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Institute for Ophthalmic ResearchUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Bernstein Center for Computational NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Institute for Ophthalmic ResearchUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
- Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of Tübingen72076TübingenGermany
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27
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Zhao X, Wong KY, Zhang DQ. Mapping physiological inputs from multiple photoreceptor systems to dopaminergic amacrine cells in the mouse retina. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7920. [PMID: 28801634 PMCID: PMC5554153 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08172-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In the vertebrate retina, dopamine is synthesized and released by a specialized type of amacrine cell, the dopaminergic amacrine cell (DAC). DAC activity is stimulated by rods, cones, and melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells upon illumination. However, the relative contributions of these three photoreceptor systems to the DAC light-induced response are unknown. Here we found that rods excite dark-adapted DACs across a wide range of stimulation intensities, primarily through connexin-36-dependent rod pathways. Similar rod-driven responses were observed in both ventral and dorsal DACs. We further found that in the dorsal retina, M-cones and melanopsin contribute to dark-adapted DAC responses with a similar threshold intensity. In the ventral retina, however, the threshold intensity for M-cone-driven responses was two log units greater than that observed in dorsal DACs, and melanopsin-driven responses were almost undetectable. We also examined the DAC response to prolonged adapting light and found such responses to be mediated by rods under dim lighting conditions, rods/M-cones/melanopsin under intermediate lighting conditions, and cones and melanopsin under bright lighting conditions. Our results elucidate the relative contributions of the three photoreceptor systems to DACs under different lighting conditions, furthering our understanding of the role these cells play in the visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiwu Zhao
- Eye Research Institute, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kwoon Y Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Dao-Qi Zhang
- Eye Research Institute, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, United States.
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28
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Zhang C, Kolodkin AL, Wong RO, James RE. Establishing Wiring Specificity in Visual System Circuits: From the Retina to the Brain. Annu Rev Neurosci 2017; 40:395-424. [PMID: 28460185 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The retina is a tremendously complex image processor, containing numerous cell types that form microcircuits encoding different aspects of the visual scene. Each microcircuit exhibits a distinct pattern of synaptic connectivity. The developmental mechanisms responsible for this patterning are just beginning to be revealed. Furthermore, signals processed by different retinal circuits are relayed to specific, often distinct, brain regions. Thus, much work has focused on understanding the mechanisms that wire retinal axonal projections to their appropriate central targets. Here, we highlight recently discovered cellular and molecular mechanisms that together shape stereotypic wiring patterns along the visual pathway, from within the retina to the brain. Although some mechanisms are common across circuits, others play unconventional and circuit-specific roles. Indeed, the highly organized connectivity of the visual system has greatly facilitated the discovery of novel mechanisms that establish precise synaptic connections within the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195; ,
| | - Alex L Kolodkin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205; ,
| | - Rachel O Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195; ,
| | - Rebecca E James
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205; ,
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29
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Dendritic stratification differs among retinal OFF bipolar cell types in the absence of rod photoreceptors. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173455. [PMID: 28257490 PMCID: PMC5336283 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal OFF bipolar cells show distinct connectivity patterns with photoreceptors in the wild-type mouse retina. Some types are cone-specific while others penetrate further through the outer plexiform layer (OPL) to contact rods in addition to cones. To explore dendritic stratification of OFF bipolar cells in the absence of rods, we made use of the 'cone-full' Nrl-/- mouse retina in which all photoreceptor precursor cells commit to a cone fate including those which would have become rods in wild-type retinas. The dendritic distribution of OFF bipolar cell types was investigated by confocal and electron microscopic imaging of immunolabeled tissue sections. The cells' dendrites formed basal contacts with cone terminals and expressed the corresponding glutamate receptor subunits at those sites, indicating putative synapses. All of the four analyzed cell populations showed distinctive patterns of vertical dendritic invasion through the OPL. This disparate behavior of dendritic extension in an environment containing only cone terminals demonstrates type-dependent specificity for dendritic outgrowth in OFF bipolar cells: rod terminals are not required for inducing dendritic extension into distal areas of the OPL.
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30
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Behrens C, Schubert T, Haverkamp S, Euler T, Berens P. Connectivity map of bipolar cells and photoreceptors in the mouse retina. eLife 2016; 5:e20041. [PMID: 27885985 PMCID: PMC5148610 DOI: 10.7554/elife.20041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the mouse retina, three different types of photoreceptors provide input to 14 bipolar cell (BC) types. Classically, most BC types are thought to contact all cones within their dendritic field; ON-BCs would contact cones exclusively via so-called invaginating synapses, while OFF-BCs would form basal synapses. By mining publically available electron microscopy data, we discovered interesting violations of these rules of outer retinal connectivity: ON-BC type X contacted only ~20% of the cones in its dendritic field and made mostly atypical non-invaginating contacts. Types 5T, 5O and 8 also contacted fewer cones than expected. In addition, we found that rod BCs received input from cones, providing anatomical evidence that rod and cone pathways are interconnected in both directions. This suggests that the organization of the outer plexiform layer is more complex than classically thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Behrens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Center for Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Silke Haverkamp
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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31
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Tsukamoto Y, Omi N. ON Bipolar Cells in Macaque Retina: Type-Specific Synaptic Connectivity with Special Reference to OFF Counterparts. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:104. [PMID: 27833534 PMCID: PMC5081360 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, 12 macaque bipolar cell types have been described. This list includes all morphology types first outlined by Polyak (1941) using the Golgi method in the primate retina and subsequently identified by other researchers using electron microscopy (EM) combined with the Golgi method, serial section transmission EM (SSTEM), and immunohistochemical imaging. We used SSTEM for the rod-dense perifoveal area of macaque retina, reconfirmed ON (cone) bipolar cells to be classified as invaginating midget bipolar (IMB), diffuse bipolar (DB)4, DB5, DB6, giant bipolar (GB), and blue bipolar (BB) types, and clarified their type-specific connectivity. DB4 cells made reciprocal synapses with a kind of ON-OFF lateral amacrine cell, similar to OFF DB2 cells. GB cells contacted rods and cones, similar to OFF DB3b cells. Retinal circuits formed by GB and DB3b cells are thought to substantiate the psychophysical finding of fast rod signals in mesopic vision. DB6 cell output synapses were directed to ON midget ganglion (MG) cells at 70% of ribbon contacts, similar to OFF DB1 cells that directed 60% of ribbon contacts to OFF MG cells. IMB cells contacted medium- or long-wavelength sensitive (M/L-) cones but not short-wavelength sensitive (S-) cones, while BB cells contacted S-cones but not M/L-cones. However, IMB and BB dendrites had similar morphological architectures, and a BB cell contacting a single S-cone resembled an IMB cell. Thus, both IMB and BB may be the ON bipolar counterparts of the OFF flat midget bipolar (FMB) type, likewise DB4 of DB2, DB5 of DB3a, DB6 of DB1, and GB of DB3b OFF bipolar type. The ON DB plus GB, and OFF DB cells predominantly contacted M/L-cones and their outputs were directed mainly to parasol ganglion (PG) cells but also moderately to MG cells. BB cells directed S-cone-driven outputs almost exclusively to small bistratified ganglion (SBG) cells. Some FMB cells predominantly contacted S-cones and their outputs were directed to OFF MG cells. Thus, two-step synaptic connections largely narrowed down the S-cone component to SBG and some OFF MG cells. The other OFF MG cells, ON MG cells, and ON and OFF PG cells constructed M/L-cone dominant pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Tsukamoto
- Studio EM-Retina, SatonakaNishinomiya, Japan
- Department of Biology, Hyogo College of MedicineNishinomiya, Japan
| | - Naoko Omi
- Studio EM-Retina, SatonakaNishinomiya, Japan
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32
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Li S, Mitchell J, Briggs DJ, Young JK, Long SS, Fuerst PG. Morphological Diversity of the Rod Spherule: A Study of Serially Reconstructed Electron Micrographs. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150024. [PMID: 26930660 PMCID: PMC4773090 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Rod spherules are the site of the first synaptic contact in the retina’s rod pathway, linking rods to horizontal and bipolar cells. Rod spherules have been described and characterized through electron micrograph (EM) and other studies, but their morphological diversity related to retinal circuitry and their intracellular structures have not been quantified. Most rod spherules are connected to their soma by an axon, but spherules of rods on the surface of the Mus musculus outer plexiform layer often lack an axon and have a spherule structure that is morphologically distinct from rod spherules connected to their soma by an axon. Retraction of the rod axon and spherule is often observed in disease processes and aging, and the retracted rod spherule superficially resembles rod spherules lacking an axon. We hypothesized that retracted spherules take on an axonless spherule morphology, which may be easier to maintain in a diseased state. To test our hypothesis, we quantified the spatial organization and subcellular structures of rod spherules with and without axons. We then compared them to the retracted spherules in a disease model, mice that overexpress Dscam (Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule), to gain a better understanding of the rod synapse in health and disease. Methods We reconstructed serial EM images of wild type and DscamGoF (gain of function) rod spherules at a resolution of 7 nm in the X-Y axis and 60 nm in the Z axis. Rod spherules with and without axons, and retracted spherules in the DscamGoF retina, were reconstructed. The rod spherule intracellular organelles, the invaginating dendrites of rod bipolar cells and horizontal cell axon tips were also reconstructed for statistical analysis. Results Stereotypical rod (R1) spherules occupy the outer two-thirds of the outer plexiform layer (OPL), where they present as spherical terminals with large mitochondria. This spherule group is highly uniform and composed more than 90% of the rod spherule population. Rod spherules lacking an axon (R2) were also described and characterized. This rod spherule group consists of a specific spatial organization that is strictly located at the apical OPL-facing layer of the Outer Nuclear Layer (ONL). The R2 spherule displays a large bowl-shaped synaptic terminal that hugs the rod soma. Retracted spherules in the DscamGoF retina were also reconstructed to test if they are structurally similar to R2 spherules. The misplaced rod spherules in DscamGoF have a gross morphology that is similar to R2 spherules but have significant disruption in internal synapse organization. Conclusion We described a morphological diversity within Mus musculus rod spherules. This diversity is correlated with rod location in the ONL and contributes to the intracellular differences within spherules. Analysis of the DscamGoF retina indicated that their R2 spherules are not significantly different than wild type R2 spherules, but that their retracted rod spherules have abnormal synaptic organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
| | - Joe Mitchell
- North Idaho College, Natural Sciences Division, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83814, United States of America
| | - Deidrie J. Briggs
- University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
| | - Jaime K. Young
- University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
| | - Samuel S. Long
- Lewis-Clark State College, Department of Computer Sciences, Lewiston, Idaho, 83501, United States of America
| | - Peter G. Fuerst
- University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, Moscow, Idaho, 83844, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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33
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Neumann S, Hüser L, Ondreka K, Auler N, Haverkamp S. Cell type-specific bipolar cell input to ganglion cells in the mouse retina. Neuroscience 2016; 316:420-32. [PMID: 26751712 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.12.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 12/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Many distinct ganglion cell types, which are the output elements of the retina, were found to encode for specific features of a visual scene such as contrast, color information or movement. The detailed composition of retinal circuits leading to this tuning of retinal ganglion cells, however, is apart from some prominent examples, largely unknown. Here we aimed to investigate if ganglion cell types in the mouse retina receive selective input from specific bipolar cell types or if they sample their synaptic input non-selectively from all bipolar cell types stratifying within their dendritic tree. To address this question we took an anatomical approach and immunolabeled retinae of two transgenic mouse lines (GFP-O and JAM-B) with markers for ribbon synapses and type 2 bipolar cells. We morphologically identified all green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing ganglion cell types, which co-stratified with type 2 bipolar cells and assessed the total number of bipolar input synapses and the proportion of synapses deriving from type 2 bipolar cells. Only JAM-B ganglion cells received synaptic input preferentially from bipolar cell types other than type 2 bipolar cells whereas the other analyzed ganglion cell types sampled their bipolar input most likely from all bipolar cell terminals within their dendritic arbor.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Neumann
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - L Hüser
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - K Ondreka
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - N Auler
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - S Haverkamp
- Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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34
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Masri RA, Percival KA, Koizumi A, Martin PR, Grünert U. Connectivity between the OFF bipolar type DB3a and six types of ganglion cell in the marmoset retina. J Comp Neurol 2015; 524:1839-58. [PMID: 26559914 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Parallel visual pathways originate at the first synapse in the retina, where cones make connections with cone bipolar cells that in turn contact ganglion cells. There are more ganglion cell types than bipolar types, suggesting that there must be divergence from bipolar to ganglion cells. Here we analyze the contacts between an OFF bipolar type (DB3a) and six ganglion cell types in the retina of the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus). Ganglion cells were transfected via particle-mediated gene transfer of an expression plasmid for the postsynaptic density 95-green fluorescent protein (PSD95-GFP), and DB3a cells were labeled via immunohistochemistry. Ganglion cell types that fully or partially costratified with DB3a cells included OFF parasol, OFF midget, broad thorny, recursive bistratified, small bistratified, and large bistratified cells. On average, the number of DB3a contacts to parasol cells (18 contacts per axon terminal) is higher than that to other ganglion cell types (between four and seven contacts). We estimate that the DB3a output to OFF parasol cells accounts for at least 30% of the total DB3a output. Furthermore, we found that OFF parasol cells receive approximately 20% of their total bipolar input from DB3a cells, suggesting that other diffuse bipolar types also provide input to OFF parasol cells. We conclude that DB3a cells preferentially contact OFF parasol cells but also provide input to other ganglion cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania A Masri
- Department of Ophthalmology and Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia
| | - Kumiko A Percival
- Department of Ophthalmology and Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia
| | - Amane Koizumi
- National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Paul R Martin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia
| | - Ulrike Grünert
- Department of Ophthalmology and Save Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia
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35
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Tsukamoto Y, Omi N. OFF bipolar cells in macaque retina: type-specific connectivity in the outer and inner synaptic layers. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:122. [PMID: 26500507 PMCID: PMC4594025 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OFF bipolar cells in the macaque retina were recently classified into five types: flat midget bipolar (FMB) and diffuse bipolar (DB) 1, 2, 3a, and 3b. We examined all parallel pathways from cone photoreceptors via OFF bipolar cells to parasol and midget ganglion cells by serial section transmission electron microscopy. Basal contacts of OFF bipolar cells to cone pedicles were previously categorized as triad-associated (TA) and non-TA (NTA). The latter was further divided into two groups located in the middle and marginal areas of the pedicle at the present eccentricity of 15°. We then mapped the distributions of all three basal contacts of the five OFF bipolar cell types in the same area of cone pedicles. TA contacts were more numerous than NTA contacts in FMB (93%), DB1 (67%), and DB3a (81%) cells, but less in DB2 (30%) and DB3b (21%) cells. Cluster analysis of these contact parameters reconfirmed five distinct OFF bipolar cell types and showed these positional configurations of basal synapses to be cell type-specific. This architecture is thought to provide a spatial framework for the interstitial diffusion and local uptake of the neurotransmitter (glutamate) that spills over from ribbon synapses. All five OFF bipolar cell types formed ribbon-synaptic contacts to both parasol and midget ganglion cells. DB2 and 3a, DB1 and 3b, and FMB predominantly, moderately, and negligibly contacted parasol ganglion cells, respectively. FMB almost exclusively contacted midget ganglion cells, to which DB1 provided dominant output (58%), and DB2, 3a, and 3b provided between 3% and 10% of their output. Consequently, the cone signal sampling routes of a midget ganglion cell consisted of two substructures: the narrow (mainly 2-3 cones) FMB pathway and the wide (mainly 10 cones) DB pathway, where connection strength was four-fold greater in the FMB than DB pathway. The narrow and strong FMB pathway may confer the highest spatial resolution and sporadically may include blue cone signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiko Tsukamoto
- Studio Retina, Satonaka Nishinomiya, Japan ; Department of Biology, Hyogo College of Medicine Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Naoko Omi
- Studio Retina, Satonaka Nishinomiya, Japan
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