scholarly journals The effect of strychnine, bicuculline, and picrotoxin on X and Y cells in the cat retina.

1979 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
A W Kirby
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Small Shift ◽  
Gaba Antagonists ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
Consistent Manner ◽  
Field Organization ◽  
Receptive Field Organization ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

The effect of intravenous strychnine and the GABA antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline upon the discharge pattern of center-surround-organized cat retinal ganglion cells of X and Y type were studied. Stimuli (mostly scotopic, and some photopic) were selected such that responses from both on and off-center cells were either due to the center, due to the surround, or clearly mixed. Pre-drug control responses were obtained, and their behavior following administration of the antagonists was observed for periods up to several hours. X-cell responses were affected in a consistent manner by strychnine while being unaffected by GABA antagonists. All observed changes following strychnine were consistent with a shift in center-surround balance of X cells in favor of the center. For Y-cell responses to flashing annuli following strychnine, there was either no shift or a relatively small shift in center-surround balance. Compared to X-cell responses to flashing lights, those of Y cells were very little affected by strychnine and in most cases were unaffected. It thus appears that glycine plays a similar role in receptive field organization of X cells as does GABA in Y cells (Kirby and Enroth-Cugell, 1976. J. Gen. Physiol. 68:465-484).

Alpha ganglion cells of the rabbit retina lose antagonistic surround responses under dark adaptation

1997 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay F. Muller ◽  
Ramon F. Dacheux
Keyword(s):  
Dark Adaptation ◽  
Light Adaptation ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Rabbit Retina ◽  
Evoked Responses ◽  
Full Field ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
Dendritic Arbors ◽  
Field Organization ◽  
Receptive Field Organization

AbstractAlpha ganglion cells from the midperiphery of the rabbit retina were recorded intracellularly under visual control, in a superfused everted eyecup, and labeled with HRP. Their physiology and large somata with broad dendritic arbors identified them as uniform populations of ON- and OFF-center alpha ganglion cells, which typically displayed transient/sustained light-evoked responses. When dark adapted, the light-evoked responses from both ON- and OFF-center alpha ganglion cells were more sustained than those generally seen under light-adapted conditions. During dark-adapted (scotopic) conditions, stimulation with dim full-field illumination and small spots, either positioned over the soma or displaced 450 μm from the soma, all elicited pure center responses. After light adaptation (photopic conditions), the displaced small spots that previously evoked center responses elicited antagonistic surround responses from both ON- and OFF-center cells. Thus, as originally described in cat retina (Barlow et al., 1957), the receptive-field organization of ganglion cells changed between dark and light adaptation, and an absence or presence of surround antagonism was indicative of scotopic versus photopic states.

Actions of excitatory amino acids on brisk ganglion cells in the cat retina

1990 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1368-1379 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Boos ◽  
F. Muller ◽  
H. Wassle
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cell ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Cell Activity ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Excitatory Input ◽  
Gabaergic Interneurons ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

1. Retinal ganglion cell activity was recorded extracellularly in the intact cat eye. We examined the effects of iontophoretically applied glutamate (GLU), aspartate (ASP), and the specific agonists kainate (KA), quisqualate (QQ), (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA), and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) on the spontaneous and light-driven activity of ganglion cells. 2. ASP and GLU increased the spontaneous as well as the light-driven activity of all brisk cell types. The effects of the two drugs were very similar. The activity of most cells remained at a constant increased level during prolonged application of these drugs. 3. KA also excited all brisk ganglion cell classes and caused effects very similar to those of GLU and ASP but was effective at a much lower concentration. In general, brisk ganglion cells responded most vigorously to KA application. 4. QQ excited approximately 50% of all ON-X and OFF-X cells encountered, the other 50% of the X cells and all Y cells were inhibited during QQ-application. This inhibition was quite likely due to the stimulation of glycinergic and GABAergic interneurons, because it was reduced or abolished during application of the respective antagonists strychnine and bicuculline. All ganglion cells apparently received either direct or indirect excitatory input from QQ receptors, which can be revealed by blocking the inhibitory interneurons. 5. The major actions of QQ on the discharge rate of ganglion cells are mimicked by AMPA. Hence, the actions of QQ are likely to be mediated by the "classical" QQ-receptor, ion-channel complex rather than by the recently described type of QQ-receptor that is coupled to a second messenger system. 6. NMDA excited ON-X, OFF-X, and OFF-Y cells but inhibited ON-Y cells. Excitatory and inhibitory NMDA effects could be blocked by the specific NMDA-receptor antagonists D(-)-2-amino-7-phosphono-heptanoate (AP-7) or 3-((+/-)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP). If the GABAergic transmission was blocked by bicuculline, the NMDA-induced inhibition of ON-Y cells was abolished. We conclude that NMDA activates GABAergic interneurons that in turn reduce the activity of ON-Y cells.

Morphological correlates of physiologically identified Y-, X-, and W-cells in cat retina

1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 999-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Fukuda ◽  
C. F. Hsiao ◽  
M. Watanabe ◽  
H. Ito
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Fiber Layer ◽  
Dendritic Field ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
Range Cell ◽  
Dendritic Fields ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

The action spike activities of single ganglion cells were recorded from the nasal retina of the intact eye of anesthetized and immobilized cats. Each ganglion cell was identified as a Y-, X-, or W-cell on the basis of its axonal conduction velocity, its receptive-field properties, and the level of maintained activity. Of about 100 ganglion cells physiologically identified and penetrated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-containing glass microelectrodes, 21 cells were subsequently identified in flat-mount preparations of the retinas and processed for detection of HRP. Of a total of nine Y-cells recovered, four had been penetrated at the soma and five at the axon. All had the morphology of the alpha-cell of Boycott and Wassle. Eight X-cells recovered. All had been penetrated at the soma and showed beta-cell morphology. Four W-cells were penetrated at the soma and recovered. Two off-tonic W-cells had small somas (15-16 micron in diam) and sparse dendritic fields, resembling gamma-cells of Boycott and Wassle. They are also similar to “G4” and “G18” of Kolb et al.'s classification. One on-tonic W-cell had somewhat larger soma (18 micron) with a relatively densely branched dendritic field. This corresponds to delta-cell of Boycott and Wassle or to “G15” of Kolb et al. One on-off phasic W-cell had a medium-sized soma (25.3 micron) with a fanlike dendritic expansion characteristic of the “unilateral horizontal broad range cell” of Shkolnik-Yarros or of “G22” of Kolb et al. Alternatively, all these W-cells can be called medium-sized gamma-cells. Among all three classes of ganglion cells, a positive correlation was found between the diameter of the receptive-field center and the dendritic field. Assuming that in the cat retina 1 degree of visual angle = 230 micron, dendritic fields of Y-cells seemed larger than their physiologically determined receptive-field centers. By contrast, the reverse relation was found between these two dimensions in X-cells. Axon diameters ranged from 4.0 to 5.6 micron (mean, 4.5 micron) in Y-cells and from 1.9 to 2.7 micron (mean, 2.2 micron) in X-cells. Three W-cells showed axon diameters of 0.6, 1.1, and 1.8 micron. The axon diameter distributions made from axons labeled by massive injections of HRP into the optic nerve fiber layer showed a pattern of distribution similar to that obtained from physiologically identified Y-, X-, and W-cell axons.

scholarly journals The involvement of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the organization of cat retinal ganglion cell receptive fields. A study with picrotoxin and bicuculline.

1976 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
A W Kirby ◽  
C Enroth-Cugell
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Control Response ◽  
Subsequent Effect ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

The effects of picrotoxin and bicuculline upon the discharge pattern of center-surround organized cat retinal ganglion cells of X and Y type were studied. All experiments were carried out under scotopic or possibly low mesopic conditions; mostly but not exclusively on-center cells were studied. Stimuli were chosen so that responses were either; (a) "purely" central; (b) surround dominated; or (c) clearly mixed but center dominated. In each case a pre-drug control response was estaboished, the drug was administered intravenously, and its subsequent effect upon the response was observed. In Y cells both picrotoxin and bicucullin caused the center-driven component of the response to become somewhat reduced in magnitude, while the surround component was substantially reduced. There was thus a change in center-surround balance in favor of the center-driven component. Responses of X cells remained virtually unaffected by both picrotoxin and bicuculline.

Adaptation and dynamics in X-cells and Y-cells of the cat retina

1976 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
H.G. Jakiela ◽  
C. Enroth-Cugell ◽  
B. Shapley
Keyword(s):  
Cat Retina ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

W-cells in the cat retina: correlated morphological and physiological evidence for two distinct classes

1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Stanford
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Optic Chiasm ◽  
Dendritic Arbor ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
Dendritic Arbors ◽  
X Cells

Intracellular recording and iontophoresis of horseradish peroxidase were used to study the morphology of physiologically characterized W-cells in the cat retina. The recording experiments were performed in an in vivo preparation to allow the responses of these retinal ganglion cells to be compared with previous functional studies of these neurons. The physiological and morphological characteristics of 16 injected and recovered retinal W-cells were compared with similar data from 14 retinal X-cells injected in the same preparations. The soma sizes of retinal W-cells were found to fall into two distinct groups. The somata of the phasic W-cells, at every eccentricity, were smaller than the somata of tonic W-cells, with no overlap between the two distributions. Soma sizes of the tonic W-cells fell into the previously described “medium-sized” range of retinal ganglion cell soma sizes and were similar to, although slightly larger than, the soma sizes of physiologically identified beta- or X-cells. The dendritic arbors of all of the cells physiologically classified as tonic W-cells were similar. Every example of this type had four to five primary dendrites that branched a short distance from the soma to form a circular or cruciate dendritic arbor. The dendritic arrays of these cells were easily distinguishable from the compact dendritic arbors of the physiologically identified X-cells. The dendritic arbors of the phasic W-cells were much more heterogeneous, ranging from sparse, wide dendritic arbors to very compact dendritic arbors with many fine branches. No significant correlation was found between the extent of the dendritic arbor and the distance from the area centralis for either the tonic W-cells or the phasic W-cells. The axons of the tonic and phasic W-cells differed from one another and from X-cells on a number of different morphological and physiological measures. The intraretinal segments of the axons of the phasic W-cells had the smallest diameters of the three groups; the axons of X-cells in the retina were relatively large, and the axons of the tonic W-cells had diameters intermediate between the phasic W-cells and the X-cells. Although considerable overlap was seen between the X-cells, tonic W-cells, and phasic W-cells in their antidromic latencies to electrical stimulation of the optic chiasm, the intraretinal and extraretinal components of the conduction velocities of the three groups were significantly different.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Response properties of ganglion cells in the isolated mouse retina

1993 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlene Stone ◽  
Lawrence H. Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Cutoff Frequency ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Spatial Summation ◽  
Mouse Retina ◽  
Sinusoidal Grating ◽  
Central Retina ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Receptive Field Center

AbstractWe have studied the organization of receptive fields of ganglion cells in the isolated mouse retina and have shown that the organization is similar to that of the cat. Based upon responses to circular and annular stimuli, most ganglion cells (90%; N = 83) had receptive fields with concentric center-surround organization, either ON or OFF center. The plot of response amplitude vs. stimulus area for these cells increased to a maximum (corresponding to a diameter of 10.0 ± 2.8 deg S.E.M.; N = 13) and then decreased for larger stimuli, demonstrating the presence of an antagonistic surround. The dark-adapted sensitivity (205 ± 43.8 impulses quantum−1 rod−1; mean ± S.E.M.) did not differ from that measured for the intact preparation. We found a subset of OFF-center cells for which the dark discharge was very regular (mean coefficient of variation = 0.30). Using sinusoidal grating stimuli, we classified ganglion cells as X-like (87%) and Y-like (13%) based on spatial summation properties and the presence of subunit activity in the receptive-field center. We found no difference in the spatial-frequency preference between X-like and Y-like cells in the central retina (high cutoff frequency, 0.20 ± 0.014 cycle/deg, mean ± S.E.M.), in contrast to the marked difference between X cells and Y cells in the cat. Thus, ganglion cell receptive fields in the mouse retina resemble those of the cat, although the spatial characteristics of the receptive fields in the central retina are more homogeneous. This homogeneity would simplify the comparison of retinas from normal and mutant strains of the mouse.

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