Segregation of on and offRetinogeniculate Connectivity Directed by Patterned Spontaneous Activity

2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 2311-2321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Lee ◽  
Stephen J. Eglen ◽  
Rachel O. L. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Synaptic Development ◽  
Retinal Activity ◽  
Recorded Activity ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Hebbian Mechanisms

In many parts of the developing nervous system, the early patterns of connectivity are refined by processes that require neuronal activity. These processes are thought to involve Hebbian mechanisms that lead to strengthening and maintenance of inputs that display correlated pre- and postsynaptic activity and elimination of inputs that fire asynchronously. Here we investigated the role of patterned spontaneous retinal activity and Hebbian synaptic mechanisms on segregation of on and off retinal afferents in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the developing ferret visual system. We recorded extracellularly the spontaneous spike activity of neighboring pairs of ganglion cells and found thatoff cells have significantly higher mean firing rates thanon cells. Spiking is best correlated between cells of the same sign (on, on; off,off) compared with cells of opposite sign (on,off). We then constructed a simple Hebbian model of retinogeniculate synaptic development based on a correlational framework. Using our recorded activity patterns, together with previous calcium-imaging data, we show that endogenous retinal activity, coupled with Hebbian mechanisms of synaptic development, can drive the segregation of on and off retinal inputs to the dLGN. Segregation occurs robustly when heterosynaptic competition is present within time windows of 50–500 ms. In addition, our results suggest that the initial patterns of connectivity (biases in convergence of inputs) and the strength of inhibition in the network each play a crucial role in determining whether on oroff inputs dominate at maturity.

scholarly journals CaV3.2 KO mice have altered retinal waves but normal direction selectivity

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
AARON M. HAMBY ◽  
JULIANA M. ROSA ◽  
CHING-HSIU HSU ◽  
MARLA B. FELLER
Keyword(s):  
Action Potentials ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Direction Selectivity ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Retinal Waves ◽  
Retinal Projections ◽  
Temporal Properties ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Eye Opening ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

AbstractEarly in development, before the onset of vision, the retina establishes direction-selective responses. During this time period, the retina spontaneously generates bursts of action potentials that propagate across its extent. The precise spatial and temporal properties of these “retinal waves” have been implicated in the formation of retinal projections to the brain. However, their role in the development of direction selective circuits within the retina has not yet been determined. We addressed this issue by combining multielectrode array and cell-attached recordings to examine mice that lack the CaV3.2 subunit of T-type Ca2+ channels (CaV3.2 KO) because these mice exhibit disrupted waves during the period that direction selective circuits are established. We found that the spontaneous activity of these mice displays wave-associated bursts of action potentials that are altered from that of control mice: the frequency of these bursts is significantly decreased and the firing rate within each burst is reduced. Moreover, the projection patterns of the retina demonstrate decreased eye-specific segregation in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). However, after eye-opening, the direction selective responses of CaV3.2 KO direction selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) are indistinguishable from those of wild-type DSGCs. Our data indicate that although the temporal properties of the action potential bursts associated with retinal waves are important for activity-dependent refining of retinal projections to central targets, they are not critical for establishing direction selectivity in the retina.

Effects of eliminating retinal Y cell input on center-surround interactions in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1089-1097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Wang ◽  
B. Dreher ◽  
W. Burke
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Spot Size ◽  
Excitatory Input ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Optic Fibers ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Suppression Index

AbstractThe aim of this project was to investigate the interaction between Y retinal ganglion cells and the cells of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) of the cat, with particular reference to center-surround antagonism and intrageniculate inhibition. Responses of cells in the LGNd were studied by stimulating the retina with spots of light of constant contrast but varying size. The peak discharges of nonlagged X (XN) cells were strongly suppressed with increase in spot size but the responses of lagged X (XL) cells and nonlagged Y (YN) cells were inhibited much less strongly. The effect of the Y system on these responses was examined by producing a selective block of conduction in Y fibers in one optic nerve by means of a pressure cuff (Y-blocking). These effects were assessed by measuring the peak discharge rates and by calculation of a “peak suppression index.” Y-blocking had no significant effect on the peak suppression index of XL, cells in either lamina or on YN cells in the normal (not Y-blocked) lamina but had significant effects on the responses of XN cells, causing a decrease in peak suppression index, both for cells in laminae receiving their principal excitatory input from the Y-blocked eye (both lamina A and lamina A1 ) as well as those in lamina A (but not lamina A1 ) receiving their excitatory input from the normal eye. These effects were obtained with relatively large spots of light. Thus Y optic fibers have both intralaminar (monocular) and interlaminar (binocular) inhibitory effects on XN cells. In addition to these suppressive effects, the experiments also show that ipsilaterally projecting Y fibers have facilitatory effects on XN cells in lamina A when small spots of light, about optimal size for the XN cell, are used. These results suggest that the Y system plays a powerful role in shaping the responses of XN cells, possibly enhancing visual acuity.

NADPH-diaphorase reactivity in the ventral and dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei of rats

1992 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Mitrofanis
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Nadph Diaphorase ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Small Cells ◽  
Double Labeling ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Cell Class ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

AbstractThe present study describes the patterns of NADPH-diaphorase reactivity in the ventral and dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei of rats. In the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, two distinct populations of NADPH-diaphorase reactive cells are apparent. One population is deeply stained, generally larger in somal size and located in the more superficial or dorsolateral regions of the nucleus. The second population of reactive cells in the nucleus is lightly labeled, small in somal size, and found in deeper or more ventromedial regions of the nucleus. Double labeling with an antibody to GAB A revealed that neither cell class is GABAergic.In the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, reactivity is apparent in lightly labeled small cells only, most of which are GABA immunoreactive also. The NADPH-diaphorase reactive cells, however, form only a small proportion of the total population of GABAergic cells in the nucleus. The striking feature of the NADPH-diaphorase reactive cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus is their spatial distribution. Most cells are located in the more superficial or dorsolateral areas: very few are apparent in deeper or more ventromedial areas of the nucleus. This distribution closely parallels the location of the outer “shell” region of the nucleus (see Reese, 1988), which receives most of its afferents from the smaller class II and III ganglion cells of the retina and from the superior colliculus.

scholarly journals Phr1 is required for proper retinocollicular targeting of nasal–dorsal retinal ganglion cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRADLY Q. VO ◽  
A. JOSEPH BLOOM ◽  
SUSAN M. CULICAN
Keyword(s):  
Normal Development ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Topographic Map ◽  
Local Refinement ◽  
Retinal Axons ◽  
Retinogeniculate Projection ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Retinocollicular Projection

AbstractPrecise targeting of retinal projections is required for the normal development of topographic maps in the mammalian primary visual system. During development, retinal axons project to and occupy topographically appropriate positions in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and superior colliculus (SC). Phr1 retinal mutant mice, which display mislocalization of the ipsilateral retinogeniculate projection independent of activity and ephrin-A signaling, were found to have a more global disruption of topographic specificity of retinofugal inputs. The retinocollicular projection lacks local refinement of terminal zones and multiple ectopic termination zones originate from the dorsal–nasal (DN) retinal quadrant. Similarly, in the dLGN, the inputs originating from the contralateral DN retina are poorly refined in the Phr1 mutant. These results show that Phr1 is an essential regulator of retinal ganglion cell projection during both dLGN and SC topographic map development.

scholarly journals Changes in input strength and number are driven by distinct mechanisms at the retinogeniculate synapse

2014 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 942-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Lin ◽  
Erin Kang ◽  
Chinfei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Critical Period ◽  
Visual Experience ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Visual Deprivation ◽  
Homeostatic Plasticity ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Relay Neuron ◽  
Retinogeniculate Synapse ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Relay Neurons

Recent studies have demonstrated that vision influences the functional remodeling of the mouse retinogeniculate synapse, the connection between retinal ganglion cells and thalamic relay neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Initially, each relay neuron receives a large number of weak retinal inputs. Over a 2- to 3-wk developmental window, the majority of these inputs are eliminated, and the remaining inputs are strengthened. This period of refinement is followed by a critical period when visual experience changes the strength and connectivity of the retinogeniculate synapse. Visual deprivation of mice by dark rearing from postnatal day (P)20 results in a dramatic weakening of synaptic strength and recruitment of additional inputs. In the present study we asked whether experience-dependent plasticity at the retinogeniculate synapse represents a homeostatic response to changing visual environment. We found that visual experience starting at P20 following visual deprivation from birth results in weakening of existing retinal inputs onto relay neurons without significant changes in input number, consistent with homeostatic synaptic scaling of retinal inputs. On the other hand, the recruitment of new inputs to the retinogeniculate synapse requires previous visual experience prior to the critical period. Taken together, these findings suggest that diverse forms of homeostatic plasticity drive experience-dependent remodeling at the retinogeniculate synapse.

Morphological diversity in terminals of W-type retinal ganglion cells at projection sites in cat brain

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boqing Chen ◽  
Xiao-Jiang Hu ◽  
Roberta G. Pourcho
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Anterograde Transport ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Morphological Criteria ◽  
Cat Brain ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

AbstractThe morphological features of retinal terminals in cat brain were examined at sites where projections of W-type ganglion cells predominate. These included the parvicellular C laminae of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, stratum griseum superficiale of the superior colliculus, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Positive identification of retinal terminals was achieved following anterograde transport of intravitreally injected native or wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase. In contrast to the classic features of retinal terminals as defined from sites where X- and Y-type ganglion cells predominate, i.e. round synaptic vesicles, large profiles, and pale mitochondria, substantial numbers of terminals in W-cell rich areas were found to contain dark mitochondria. Synaptic vesicles, although consistently round, were typically smaller in terminals with dark mitochondria than in those with pale mitochondria. These findings indicate a diversity among terminals of W-cells and suggest that such terminals cannot be distinguished on the basis of limited morphological criteria.

scholarly journals Synaptic development of the mouse dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

2009 ◽  
Vol 518 (5) ◽  
pp. 622-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha E. Bickford ◽  
Arkadiusz Slusarczyk ◽  
Emily K. Dilger ◽  
Thomas E. Krahe ◽  
Can Kucuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Synaptic Development ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate
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