Central projections of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells in the mouse

Glaucoma alters the circadian timing system

Glaucoma is a widespread ocular disease and major cause of blindness characterized by progressive, irreversible damage of the optic nerve. Although the degenerative loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and visual deficits associated with glaucoma have been extensively studied, we hypothesize that glaucoma will also lead to alteration of the circadian timing system. Circadian and non-visual responses to light are mediated by a specialized subset of melanopsin expressing RGCs that provide photic input to mammalian endogenous clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In order to explore the molecular, anatomical and functional consequences of glaucoma we used a rodent model of chronic ocular hypertension, a primary causal factor of the pathology. Quantitative analysis of retinal projections using sensitive anterograde tracing demonstrates a significant reduction (approximately 50-70%) of RGC axon terminals in all visual and non-visual structures and notably in the SCN. The capacity of glaucomatous rats to entrain to light was challenged by exposure to successive shifts of the light dark (LD) cycle associated with step-wise decreases in light intensity. Although glaucomatous rats are able to entrain their locomotor activity to the LD cycle at all light levels, they require more time to re-adjust to a shifted LD cycle and show significantly greater variability in activity onsets in comparison with normal rats. Quantitative PCR reveals the novel finding that melanopsin as well as rod and cone opsin mRNAs are significantly reduced in glaucomatous retinas. Our findings demonstrate that glaucoma impacts on all these aspects of the circadian timing system. In light of these results, the classical view of glaucoma as pathology unique to the visual system should be extended to include anatomical and functional alterations of the circadian timing system.

Rods-cones and melanopsin detect light and dark to modulate sleep independent of image formation

Light detected in the retina modulates several physiological processes including circadian photo-entrainment and pupillary light reflex. Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) convey rod-cone and melanopsin-driven light input to the brain. Using EEGs and electromyograms, we show that acute light induces sleep in mice during their nocturnal active phase whereas acute dark awakens mice during their diurnal sleep phase. We used retinal mutant mouse lines that lack (i) the ipRGCs, (ii) the photo-transduction pathways of rods and cones, or (iii) the melanopsin protein and showed that the influence of light and dark on sleep requires both rod-cone and melanopsin signaling through ipRGCs and is independent of image formation. We further show that, although acute light pulses overcome circadian and homeostatic drives for sleep, upon repeated light exposures using a 3.5 h/3.5 h light/dark cycle, the circadian and homeostatic drives override the light input. Thus, in addition to their known role in aligning circadian physiology with day and night, ipRGCs also relay light and dark information from both rod-cone and melanopsin-based pathways to modulate sleep and wakefulness.

Targeted destruction of photosensitive retinal ganglion cells with a saporin conjugate alters the effects of light on mouse circadian rhythms

Non-image related responses to light, such as the synchronization of circadian rhythms to the day/night cycle, are mediated by classical rod/cone photoreceptors and by a small subset of retinal ganglion cells that are intrinsically photosensitive, expressing the photopigment, melanopsin. This raises the possibility that the melanopsin cells may be serving as a conduit for photic information detected by the rods and/or cones. To test this idea, we developed a specific immunotoxin consisting of an anti-melanopsin antibody conjugated to the ribosome-inactivating protein, saporin. Intravitreal injection of this immunotoxin results in targeted destruction of melanopsin cells. We find that the specific loss of these cells in the adult mouse retina alters the effects of light on circadian rhythms. In particular, the photosensitivity of the circadian system is significantly attenuated. A subset of animals becomes non-responsive to the light/dark cycle, a characteristic previously observed in mice lacking rods, cones, and functional melanopsin cells. Mice lacking melanopsin cells are also unable to show light induced negative masking, a phenomenon known to be mediated by such cells, but both visual cliff and light/dark preference responses are normal. These data suggest that cells containing melanopsin do indeed function as a conduit for rod and/or cone information for certain non-image forming visual responses. Furthermore, we have developed a technique to specifically ablate melanopsin cells in the fully developed adult retina. This approach can be applied to any species subject to the existence of appropriate anti-melanopsin antibodies.

Distribution of Wfs1 protein in the central nervous system of the mouse and its relation to clinical symptoms of the Wolfram syndrome

Mutations in the coding region of the WFS1 gene cause Wolfram syndrome, a rare multisystem neurodegenerative disorder of autosomal recessive inheritance. Patients with Wolfram syndrome display considerable clinical pleiomorphism, and symptoms such as neurological complications and psychiatric disorders are common. In the present study we have characterized Wfs1 expression pattern in the mouse central nervous system by using a combination of immunohistochemistry on wild-type mice and X-Gal staining of Wfs1 knockout mice with targeted insertion of the lacZ reporter. We identified a robust enrichment of Wfs1 protein in the central extended amygdala and ventral striatum. Prominent Wfs1 expression was seen in the hippocampal CA1 region, parasubiculum, superficial part of the second and third layers of the prefrontal cortex and proisocortical areas, hypothalamic magnocellular neurosecretory system, and central auditory pathway. Wfs1 expression was also detected in numerous brainstem nuclei and in laminae VIII and IX of the spinal cord. Wfs1-positive nerve fibers were found in the medial forebrain bundle, reticular part of the substantia nigra, globus pallidus, posterior caudate putamen, lateral lemniscus, alveus, fimbria, dorsal hippocampal commissure, subiculum, and to a lesser extent in the central sublenticular extended amygdala, compact part of substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area. The neuroanatomical findings suggest that the lack of Wfs1 protein function can be related to several neurological and psychiatric symptoms found in Wolfram syndrome. Enrichment of Wfs1 protein in the central extended amygdala suggests a role in the modulation of anxiety and fear.

In vivo monitoring of circadian timing in freely moving mice

In mammals, the principal circadian pacemaker driving daily physiology and behavioral rhythms is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the anterior hypothalamus. The neural output of SCN is essential for the circadian regulation of behavioral activity. Although remarkable progress has been made in revealing the molecular basis of circadian rhythm generation within the SCN, the output pathways by which the SCN exert control over circadian rhythms are not well understood. Most SCN efferents target the subparaventricular zone (SPZ), which resides just dorsal to the SCN. This output pathway has been proposed as a major component involved in the outflow for circadian regulation. We have examined the downstream pathway of the central clock by means of multiunit neural activity (MUA) in freely moving mice. SCN neural activity is tightly coupled to environmental photic input and anticorrelated with MUA rhythm in the SPZ. In Clock mutant mice exhibiting attenuated circadian locomotor rhythmicity, MUA rhythmicity in the SCN and SPZ is similarly blunted. These results suggest that the SPZ plays a functional role in relaying circadian and photic signals to centers involved in generating behavioral activity.

Inducible ablation of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells reveals their central role in non-image forming visual responses

Rod/cone photoreceptors of the outer retina and the melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells (mRGCs) of the inner retina mediate non-image forming visual responses including entrainment of the circadian clock to the ambient light, the pupillary light reflex (PLR), and light modulation of activity. Targeted deletion of the melanopsin gene attenuates these adaptive responses with no apparent change in the development and morphology of the mRGCs. Comprehensive identification of mRGCs and knowledge of their specific roles in image-forming and non-image forming photoresponses are currently lacking. We used a Cre-dependent GFP expression strategy in mice to genetically label the mRGCs. This revealed that only a subset of mRGCs express enough immunocytochemically detectable levels of melanopsin. We also used a Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin receptor (iDTR) expression approach to express the DTR in mRGCs. mRGCs develop normally, but can be acutely ablated upon diphtheria toxin administration. The mRGC-ablated mice exhibited normal outer retinal function. However, they completely lacked non-image forming visual responses such as circadian photoentrainment, light modulation of activity, and PLR. These results point to the mRGCs as the site of functional integration of the rod/cone and melanopsin phototransduction pathways and as the primary anatomical site for the divergence of image-forming and non-image forming photoresponses in mammals.

The lateral habenula: no longer neglected

In this contribution to the CNS Spectrums neuroanatomy series, Stefanie Geisler, MD, discusses the lateral habenula (LHb). This nuclear complex is one of the areas of the brain that forms part of the cross-talk between limbic fore-brain and some important ascending modulatory pathways. Situated at the caudal end of the dorsal diencephalon and classically regarded as projecting largely to the brainstem, including the serotoninergic raphe nuclei, the LHb receives afferents from widespread forebrain areas. Therefore, the LHb is able to influence serotonin tone in the brain, and has long interested neuroanatomists as a potential limbic-motor interface. Nonetheless, the LHb was not much discussed outside neuroanatomical circles until recently, when it was discovered that its impact on the mesotelencephalic dopamine system is probably much greater than had been assumed. The LHb has become a hot topic. This article-addresses these developments and emphasizes the clinical relevance of this interesting brain structure.

Intrinsic and extrinsic light responses in melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells during mouse development

Melanopsin (Opn4) is a photopigment found in a subset of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that project to various brain areas. These neurons are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and are implicated in nonimage-forming responses to environmental light such as the pupillary light reflex and circadian entrainment. Recent evidence indicates that ipRGCs respond to light at birth, but questions remain as to whether and when they undergo significant functional changes. We used bacterial artificial chromosome transgenesis to engineer a mouse line in which enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) is expressed under the control of the melanopsin promoter. Double immunolabeling for EGFP and melanopsin demonstrates their colocalization in ganglion cells of mutant mouse retinas. Electrophysiological recordings of ipRGCs in neonatal mice (postnatal day 0 [P0] to P7) demonstrated that these cells responded to light with small and sluggish depolarization. However, starting at P11 we observed ipRGCs that responded to light with a larger and faster onset (<1 s) and offset (<1 s) depolarization. These faster, larger depolarizations were observed in most ipRGCs by early adult ages. However, on application of a cocktail of synaptic blockers, we found that all cells responded to light with slow onset (>2.5 s) and offset (>10 s) depolarization, revealing the intrinsic, melanopsin-mediated light responses. The extrinsic, cone/rod influence on ipRGCs correlates with their extensive dendritic stratification in the inner plexiform layer. Collectively, these results demonstrate that ipRGCs make use of melanopsin for phototransduction before eye opening and that these cells further integrate signals derived from the outer retina as the retina matures.

Survival and remodeling of melanopsin cells during retinal dystrophy

The melanopsin positive, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) of the inner retina have been shown to send wide-ranging projections throughout the brain. To investigate the response of this important cell type during retinal dystrophy, we use the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) dystrophic rat, a major model of retinal degeneration. We find that ipRGCs exhibit a distinctive molecular profile that remains unaltered during early stages of outer retinal pathology (15 weeks of age). In particular, these cells express βIII tubulin, α-acetylated tubulin, and microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), while remaining negative for other RGC markers such as neurofilaments, calretinin, and parvalbumin. By 14 months of age, melanopsin positive fibers invade ectopic locations in the dystrophic retina and ipRGC axons/dendrites become distorted (a process that may involve vascular remodeling). The morphological abnormalities in melanopsin processes are associated with elevated immunoreactivity for MAP1b and a reduction in α-acetylated tubulin. Quantification of ipRGCs in whole mounts reveals reduced melanopsin cell number with increasing age. Focusing on the retinal periphery, we find a significant decline in melanopsin cell density contrasted by a stability of melanopsin positive processes. In addition to these findings, we describe for the first time, a distinct plexus of melanopsin processes in the far peripheral retina, a structure that is coincident with a short wavelength opsin cone-enriched rim. We conclude that some ipRGCs are lost in RCS dystrophic rats as the disease progresses and that this loss may involve vascular remodeling. However, a significant number of melanopsin positive cells survive into advanced stages of retinal degeneration and show indications of remodeling in response to pathology. Our findings underline the importance of early intervention in human retinal disease in order to preserve integrity of the inner retinal photoreceptive network.

Melanopsin cells are the principal conduits for rod-cone input to non-image-forming vision

Rod and cone photoreceptors detect light and relay this information through a multisynaptic pathway to the brain by means of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). These retinal outputs support not only pattern vision but also non-image-forming (NIF) functions, which include circadian photoentrainment and pupillary light reflex (PLR). In mammals, NIF functions are mediated by rods, cones and the melanopsin-containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). Rod-cone photoreceptors and ipRGCs are complementary in signalling light intensity for NIF functions. The ipRGCs, in addition to being directly photosensitive, also receive synaptic input from rod-cone networks. To determine how the ipRGCs relay rod-cone light information for both image-forming and non-image-forming functions, we genetically ablated ipRGCs in mice. Here we show that animals lacking ipRGCs retain pattern vision but have deficits in both PLR and circadian photoentrainment that are more extensive than those observed in melanopsin knockouts. The defects in PLR and photoentrainment resemble those observed in animals that lack phototransduction in all three photoreceptor classes. These results indicate that light signals for irradiance detection are dissociated from pattern vision at the retinal ganglion cell level, and animals that cannot detect light for NIF functions are still capable of image formation.

Efferent retinal projections visualized by immunohistochemical detection of the estrogen-related receptor beta in the postnatal and adult mouse brain

Recently, a new nuclear receptor subfamily has been identified and referred to as estrogen-related receptors. This new group shares sequence similarity, target genes, co-regulatory proteins, and action sites with the estrogen receptors; however, natural estrogens are not estrogen-related receptors ligands. One of the receptors belonging to this group, estrogen-related receptor beta (ERRbeta), is essential for embryo development and is believed to be involved in estrogen-regulated pathways. In this study, we analyzed the presence of the ERRbeta protein in the mouse brain by means of immunohistochemistry, using a commercial polyclonal antibody against ERRbeta (Sigma, E0156). This study represents the first description dealing with the immunolocalization of ERRbeta in a mammalian brain. Our results revealed numerous ERRbeta immunoreactive fibers in the retinal efferent projections in the brain, which was in agreement with the presence of intense ERRbeta immunoreactivity in the cell bodies and axonal processes of the retinal ganglion cells. In both postnatal and adult brains, ERRbeta immunoreactive fibers were distributed in a pattern which perfectly matched the retinal efferent projections: optic tract, supraoptic commissure, hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus, ventral and dorsal geniculate nuclei, pretectal nuclei, and superior colliculus. Due to reliable, fine, and complete staining of the retinal axons obtained with the anti-ERRbeta antibody (E0156), we suggest that this antibody could be used as a valuable tool for labeling the full retinofugal projections in postnatal or adult brains.

Short-wavelength light sensitivity of circadian, pupillary, and visual awareness in humans lacking an outer retina

As the ear has dual functions for audition and balance, the eye has a dual role in detecting light for a wide range of behavioral and physiological functions separate from sight. These responses are driven primarily by stimulation of photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs) that are most sensitive to short-wavelength ( approximately 480 nm) blue light and remain functional in the absence of rods and cones. We examined the spectral sensitivity of non-image-forming responses in two profoundly blind subjects lacking functional rods and cones (one male, 56 yr old; one female, 87 yr old). In the male subject, we found that short-wavelength light preferentially suppressed melatonin, reset the circadian pacemaker, and directly enhanced alertness compared to 555 nm exposure, which is the peak sensitivity of the photopic visual system. In an action spectrum for pupillary constriction, the female subject exhibited a peak spectral sensitivity (lambda(max)) of 480 nm, matching that of the pRGCs but not that of the rods and cones. This subject was also able to correctly report a threshold short-wavelength stimulus ( approximately 480 nm) but not other wavelengths. Collectively these data show that pRGCs contribute to both circadian physiology and rudimentary visual awareness in humans and challenge the assumption that rod- and cone-based photoreception mediate all "visual" responses to light.

Photic sensitivity ranges of hamster pupillary and circadian phase responses do not overlap

Mammalian retinal photoreceptors form an irradiance detection system that drives many nonvisual responses to light such as pupil reflex and resetting of the circadian clock. To understand the role of pupil size in circadian light responses, pupil diameter was pharmacologically manipulated and the effect on behavioral phase shifts at different irradiance levels was studied in the Syrian hamster. Dose-response curves for steady-state pupil size and for behavioral phase shifts were constructed for 3 pupil conditions (dilated, constricted, and control). Retinal irradiance was calculated from corneal irradiance, pupil size, retinal surface area, and absorption of ocular media. The sensitivity of photic responses to retinal irradiance is approximately 1.5 log units higher than to corneal irradiance. When plotted against corneal irradiance, pharmacological pupil constriction reduces the light sensitivity of the circadian system, but pupil dilation has no effect. As expected, when plotted against retinal irradiance all dose-response curves superimposed, confirming that the circadian system responds to photon flux on the retina. Pupil dilation does not increase the circadian response to increasing irradiance, since the response of the circadian system attains saturation at irradiance levels lower than those required to induce pupil constriction. The main finding shows that due to the different response sensitivities, the effect of pupil constriction on the light sensitivity of the circadian system in the hamster under natural conditions is virtually negligible. We further suggest the existence of distinct modulating mechanisms for the differential retinal irradiance sensitivity of the pupil system and the circadian system, which enables the different responses to be tuned to their specific tasks while using similar photoreceptive input.

Characterization and synaptic connectivity of melanopsin-containing ganglion cells in the primate retina

Melanopsin is a photopigment expressed in retinal ganglion cells, which are intrinsically photosensitive and are also involved in retinal circuits arising from rod and cone photoreceptors. This circuitry, however, is poorly understood. Here, we studied the morphology, distribution and synaptic input to melanopsin-containing ganglion cells in a New World monkey, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The dendrites of melanopsin-containing cells in marmoset stratify either close to the inner nuclear layer (outer stratifying), or close to the ganglion cell layer (inner stratifying). The dendritic fields of outer-stratifying cells tile the retina, with little overlap. However, the dendritic fields of outer-stratifying cells largely overlap with the dendritic fields of inner-stratifying cells. Thus, inner-stratifying and outer-stratifying cells may form functionally independent populations. The synaptic input to melanopsin-containing cells was determined using synaptic markers (antibodies to C-terminal binding protein 2, CtBP2, for presumed bipolar synapses, and antibodies to gephyrin for presumed amacrine synapses). Both outer-stratifying and inner-stratifying cells show colocalized immunoreactive puncta across their entire dendritic tree for both markers. The density of CtBP2 puncta on inner dendrites was about 50% higher than that on outer dendrites. The density of gephyrin puncta was comparable for outer and inner dendrites but higher than the density of CtBP2 puncta. The inner-stratifying cells may receive their input from a type of diffuse bipolar cell (DB6). Our results are consistent with the idea that both outer and inner melanopsin cells receive bipolar and amacrine input across their dendritic tree.

Heterogeneous expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid-associated receptors and transporters in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the primary mammalian circadian clock that regulates rhythmic physiology and behavior. The SCN is composed of a diverse set of neurons arranged in a tight intrinsic network. In the rat, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)- and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-containing neurons are the dominant cell phenotypes of the ventral SCN, and these cells receive photic information from the retina and the intergeniculate leaflet. Neurons expressing vasopressin (VP) are concentrated in the dorsal and medial aspects of the SCN. Although the VIP/GRP and VP cell groups are concentrated in different regions of the SCN, the separation of these cell groups is not absolute. The inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is expressed in most SCN neurons irrespective of their location or peptidergic phenotype. In the present study, immunoperoxidase labeling, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, and ultrastructural immunocytochemistry were used to examine the spatial distribution of several markers associated with SCN GABAergic neurons. Glutamate decarboxylase, a marker of GABA synthesis, and vesicular GABA transporter were more prominently observed in the ventral SCN. KCC2, a K(+)/Cl(-) cotransporter, was highly expressed in the ventral SCN in association with VIP- and GRP-producing neurons, whereas VP neurons in the dorsal SCN were devoid of KCC2. On the other hand, GABA(B) receptors were observed predominantly in VPergic neurons dorsally, whereas, in the ventral SCN, GABA(B) receptors were associated almost exclusively with retinal afferent fibers and terminals. The differential expression of GABAergic markers within the SCN suggests that GABA may play dissimilar roles in different SCN neuronal phenotypes.

Melanopsin-dependent nonvisual responses: evidence for photopigment bistability in vivo

In mammals, nonvisual responses to light have been shown to involve intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGC) that express melanopsin and that are modulated by input from both rods and cones. Recent in vitro evidence suggests that melanopsin possesses dual photosensory and photoisomerase functions, previously thought to be a unique feature of invertebrate rhabdomeric photopigments. In cultured cells that normally do not respond to light, heterologous expression of mammalian melanopsin confers light sensitivity that can be restored by prior stimulation with appropriate wavelengths. Using three different physiological and behavioral assays, we show that this in vitro property translates to in vivo, melanopsin-dependent nonvisual responses. We find that prestimulation with long-wavelength light not only restores but enhances single-unit responses of SCN neurons to 480-nm light, whereas the long-wavelength stimulus alone fails to elicit any response. Recordings in Opn4-/- mice confirm that melanopsin provides the main photosensory input to the SCN, and furthermore, demonstrate that melanopsin is required for response enhancement, because this capacity is abolished in the knockout mouse. The efficiency of the light-enhancement effect depends on wavelength, irradiance, and duration. Prior long-wavelength light exposure also enhances short-wavelength-induced phase shifts of locomotor activity and pupillary constriction, consistent with the expression of a photoisomerase-like function in nonvisual responses to light.

The retina-attached SCN slice preparation: an in vitro mammalian circadian visual system

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the mammalian circadian pacemaker, receives information about ambient light levels through the retinohypothalamic tract. This information resets the molecular clock of SCN neurons, thereby entraining overt animal behavior and physiology to the solar cycle. Progress toward functional characterization of retinal influences on the SCN has been hampered by limitations of established experimental paradigms. To overcome this hurdle, the authors have developed a novel in vitro preparation of the rat retinohypothalamic circuit that maintains functional connectivity between the retinas and the SCN. This method permits whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from visually identified, light-responsive SCN neurons. Using this preparation, the authors have found that in the SCN, light-evoked responses are partly driven by the melanopsin photosensory system of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells and that SCN neurons exhibit light adaptation. The authors have also been able to generate this preparation from mice, demonstrating the feasibility of applying this method to transgenic mice.

Light-evoked calcium responses of isolated melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells

A small number (<2%) of mammalian retinal ganglion cells express the photopigment melanopsin and are intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs). Light depolarizes ipRGCs and increases intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) but the signaling cascades underlying these responses have yet to be elucidated. To facilitate physiological studies on these rare photoreceptors, highly enriched ipRGC cultures from neonatal rats were generated using anti-melanopsin-mediated plate adhesion (immunopanning). This novel approach enabled experiments on isolated ipRGCs, eliminating the potential confounding influence of rod/cone-driven input. Light induced a rise in [Ca2+]i (monitored using fura-2 imaging) in the immunopanned ipRGCs and the source of this Ca2+ signal was investigated. The Ca2+ responses were inhibited by 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, SKF-96365 (1-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxy]ethyl-1H-imidazole), flufenamic acid, lanthanum, and gadolinium, consistent with the involvement of canonical transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in ipRGC phototransduction. However, the contribution of direct Ca2+ flux through a putative TRP channel to ipRGC [Ca2+]i was relatively small, as most (approximately 90%) of the light-induced Ca2+ responses could be blocked by preventing action potential firing with tetrodotoxin. The L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel (VGCC) blockers verapamil and (+)-cis-diltiazem significantly reduced the light-evoked Ca2+ responses, while the internal Ca2+ stores depleting agent thapsigargin had negligible effect. These results indicate that Ca2+ influx through VGCCs, activated after action potential firing, was the primary source for light-evoked elevations in ipRGC [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, concurrent Ca2+ imaging and cell-attached electrophysiological recordings demonstrated that the Ca2+ responses were highly correlated to spike frequency, thereby establishing a direct link between action potential firing and somatic [Ca2+]i in light-stimulated ipRGCs.

Evolution of the vertebrate eye: opsins, photoreceptors, retina and eye cup

Charles Darwin appreciated the conceptual difficulty in accepting that an organ as wonderful as the vertebrate eye could have evolved through natural selection. He reasoned that if appropriate gradations could be found that were useful to the animal and were inherited, then the apparent difficulty would be overcome. Here, we review a wide range of findings that capture glimpses of the gradations that appear to have occurred during eye evolution, and provide a scenario for the unseen steps that have led to the emergence of the vertebrate eye.

Histamine H3 receptor and orexin A expression during daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus)

Seasonal animals use different strategies to reduce energy expenditure in the face of reduced seasonal food availability. For example, the ground squirrel enters a hibernation state with reduced metabolism, hypothermia and suppressed central nervous system activity, whereas the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) employs daily bouts of torpor associated with reduced body temperature and energy expenditure. Studies in the hibernating ground squirrel implicate an increase in histamine synthesis and histamine H(3) receptor expression in the brain as a central mechanism governing hibernation. In the present study, we demonstrate an up-regulation of H(3) receptors in several brain nuclei in the Djungarian hamster during bouts of daily torpor, a shallow form of hypothermia, suggesting that histaminergic pathways may play a general role in maintaining low body temperature and torpor state in mammals. These regions include the arcuate nucleus, dorsomedial hypothalamus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and tuberomammillary nucleus. Interestingly, expression of the mRNA for orexins, a group of neuropeptides that increase wakefulness, remains unchanged during the arousal from daily torpor, suggesting that this classic 'arousal' pathway is not involved in the transition from a hypothermic to the euthermic state.

Brain responses to violet, blue, and green monochromatic light exposures in humans: prominent role of blue light and the brainstem

Background

Relatively long duration retinal light exposure elicits nonvisual responses in humans, including modulation of alertness and cognition. These responses are thought to be mediated in part by melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells which are more sensitive to blue light than violet or green light. The contribution of the melanopsin system and the brain mechanisms involved in the establishment of such responses to light remain to be established.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We exposed 15 participants to short duration (50 s) monochromatic violet (430 nm), blue (473 nm), and green (527 nm) light exposures of equal photon flux (10¹³ph/cm²/s) while they were performing a working memory task in fMRI. At light onset, blue light, as compared to green light, increased activity in the left hippocampus, left thalamus, and right amygdala. During the task, blue light, as compared to violet light, increased activity in the left middle frontal gyrus, left thalamus and a bilateral area of the brainstem consistent with activation of the locus coeruleus.

Conclusion/Significance

These results support a prominent contribution of melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells to brain responses to light within the very first seconds of an exposure. The results also demonstrate the implication of the brainstem in mediating these responses in humans and speak for a broad involvement of light in the regulation of brain function.

Protein kinase C modulates the phase-delaying effects of light in the mammalian circadian clock

The mammalian circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) drives a vast array of biochemical and physiological processes with 24-h periodicity. The phasing of SCN pacemaker activity is tightly regulated by photic input from the retina. Recent work has implicated protein kinase C (PKC) as a regulator of photic input, although stimulus-induced PKC activity has not been examined. Here we used a combination of biochemical, immunohistochemical and behavioral techniques to examine both the regulation and role of PKC in light-induced clock entrainment in mice. We report that photic stimulation during the subjective night, but not during the subjective day, stimulates PKC activity within the SCN. To assess the role of PKC in clock entrainment, we employed an in-vivo infusion approach to deliver the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I to the SCN. The disruption of PKC activity significantly enhanced the phase-shifting effects of light, indicating that PKC functions as a negative regulator of light entrainment. Importantly, bisindolylmaleimide I infusion in the absence of light treatment did not phase shift the clock, demonstrating that transient disruption of basal PKC activity does not affect inherent pacemaker activity. The capacity of light to stimulate immediate early gene expression in the SCN was not substantively altered by PKC inhibition, suggesting that PKC does not couple light to rapid transcriptional activation. Rather, a combination of in-vivo and cell culture assays indicates that PKC functions as an inhibitor of PERIOD1 degradation. Thus, PKC may influence clock entrainment via a post-translational mechanism that influences clock protein stability.

Melanopsin triggers the release of internal calcium stores in response to light

Melanopsin is the photopigment that confers photosensitivity upon intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). This subset of retinal ganglion cells comprises less than 2% of all RGCs in the mammalian retina. The paucity of melanopsin-positive cells has made studies on melanopsin signaling difficult to pursue in ipRGCs. To address this issue, we have established several cell lines consisting of a transformed human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293) stably expressing human melanopsin. With these cell lines, we have investigated the intracellular rise in calcium triggered upon light activation of melanopsin. Our human melanopsin-expressing cells exhibit an irradiance-dependent increase in intracellular calcium. Control cells expressing human melanopsin, where the Schiff-base lysine has been mutated to alanine, show no responses to light. Chelating extracellular calcium has no effect on the light-induced increase in intracellular calcium suggesting that calcium is mobilized from intracellular stores. This involvement of intracellular stores has been confirmed through their depletion by thapsigargin, which inhibits a subsequent light-induced increase in intracellular calcium. Addition of the nonselective cation channel blocker lanthanum does not alter light-induced rises in intracellular calcium, further supporting that melanopsin triggers a release of internal calcium from internal stores. HEK293 cells stably expressing melanopsin have proven to be a useful tool to study melanopsin-initiated signaling.

Responses of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons to light and dark adaptation: relative contributions of melanopsin and rod-cone inputs

The circadian oscillator in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is entrained to the environmental light/dark cycle through photic information conveyed from the retina. The vast majority of projections to the SCN arise from melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells that are intrinsically light sensitive and that receive inputs from both rods and cones. To investigate the relative contributions of the different photoreceptive systems in shaping the photic signal influencing the circadian clock, we analyzed neuronal responses of single SCN neurons using extracellular electrophysiological recordings under different conditions of light adaptation. In the majority of neurons (78%), the spike rate is increased by light stimulation whereas the remainder are light-inhibited. The neuronal response to light is composed of several components distinguished by their temporal dynamics and degree of alteration after previous light exposure. SCN neurons display a sustained response to light followed by persistence of the response after light offset. These responses are sluggish and relatively unaffected by previous light exposures. Neurons also respond with a brisk, excitatory ON response and often an OFF response that is either excitatory or inhibitory. ON-OFF responses are transient and strongly reduced by previous bright white light exposure. Furthermore, two types of neuronal response patterns can be distinguished by the presence or absence of a slow-transient component that follows the transient ON response. The transient ON-OFF components express light adaptation properties characteristic of retinal channels involving cones, whereas the sustained and persistent components are consistent with in vitro response properties reported for melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells.

The sense of smell, its signalling pathways, and the dichotomy of cilia and microvilli in olfactory sensory cells

Smell is often regarded as an ancillary perception in primates, who seem so dominated by their sense of vision. In this paper, we will portray some aspects of the significance of olfaction to human life and speculate on what evolutionary factors contribute to keeping it alive. We then outline the functional architecture of olfactory sensory neurons and their signal transduction pathways, which are the primary detectors that render olfactory perception possible. Throughout the phylogenetic tree, olfactory neurons, at their apical tip, are either decorated with cilia or with microvilli. The significance of this dichotomy is unknown. It is generally assumed that mammalian olfactory neurons are of the ciliary type only. The existence of so-called olfactory microvillar cells in mammals, however, is well documented, but their nature remains unclear and their function orphaned. This paper discusses the possibility, that in the main olfactory epithelium of mammals ciliated and microvillar sensory cells exist concurrently. We review evidence related to this hypothesis and ask, what function olfactory microvillar cells might have and what signalling mechanisms they use.

Local retinal circuits of melanopsin-containing ganglion cells identified by transsynaptic viral tracing

Intrinsically photosensitive melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) control important physiological processes, including the circadian rhythm, the pupillary reflex, and the suppression of locomotor behavior (reviewed in [1]). ipRGCs are also activated by classical photoreceptors, the rods and cones, through local retinal circuits [2, 3]. ipRGCs can be transsynaptically labeled through the pupillary-reflex circuit with the derivatives of the Bartha strain of the alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus(PRV) [4, 5] that express GFP [6-12]. Bartha-strain derivatives spread only in the retrograde direction [13]. There is evidence that infected cells function normally for a while during GFP expression [7]. Here we combine transsynaptic PRV labeling, two-photon laser microscopy, and electrophysiological techniques to trace the local circuit of different ipRGC subtypes in the mouse retina and record light-evoked activity from the transsynaptically labeled ganglion cells. First, we show that ipRGCs are connected by monostratified amacrine cells that provide strong inhibition from classical-photoreceptor-driven circuits. Second, we show evidence that dopaminergic interplexiform cells are synaptically connected to ipRGCs. The latter finding provides a circuitry link between light-dark adaptation and ipRGC function.

Synaptic influences on rat ganglion-cell photoreceptors

The intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) provide a conduit through which rods and cones can access brain circuits mediating circadian entrainment, pupillary constriction and other non-image-forming visual functions. We characterized synaptic inputs to ipRGCs in rats using whole-cell and multielectrode array recording techniques. In constant darkness all ipRGCs received spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. Light stimulation evoked in all ipRGCs both synaptically driven ('extrinsic') and autonomous melanopsin-based ('intrinsic') responses. The extrinsic light responses were depolarizing, about 5 log units more sensitive than the intrinsic light response, and transient near threshold but sustained to brighter light. Pharmacological data showed that ON bipolar cells and amacrine cells make the most prominent direct contributions to these extrinsic light responses, whereas OFF bipolar cells make a very weak contribution. The spatial extent of the synaptically driven light responses was comparable to that of the intrinsic photoresponse, suggesting that synaptic contacts are made onto the entire dendritic field of the ipRGCs. These synaptic influences increase the sensitivity of ipRGCs to light, and also extend their temporal bandpass to higher frequencies. These extrinsic ipRGC light responses can explain some of the previously reported properties of circadian photoentrainment and other non-image-forming visual behaviours.

2-Aminoethoxydiphenylborane is an acute inhibitor of directly photosensitive retinal ganglion cell activity in vitro and in vivo

The mammalian retina contains directly photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which use the photopigment melanopsin. The generation of mice lacking melanopsin has been invaluable in elucidating the function of these cells. These animals display deficiencies in circadian photoentrainment, the pupil light reflex, and the circadian regulation of the cone pathway. Interpreting the results from such gene knock-out models is always complicated by neuronal plasticity and the potential for restructuring of neuronal networks. Until now, the study of photosensitive RGCs has lacked an acute inhibitor. 2-Aminoethoxydiphenylborane (2-APB) is an antagonist at IP3 receptors and an inhibitor of canonical transient receptor potential ion channels (TRPCs). Here, we show that 2-APB is an extremely potent in vitro inhibitor of the photosensitive RGCs and that its effect is independent of store-dependent Ca2+ release. The identification of canonical TRPC6 and TRPC7 ion channels in melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells suggests that 2-APB may act directly on a TRPC ion channel. Importantly, using the pupil light reflex as a functional assay, we show that 2-APB inhibits photosensitive RGC activity in vivo. Collectively, our data further elucidate the phototransduction pathway in the photosensitive RGCs and demonstrate that 2-APB can be used to silence activity in these cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Modeling the role of mid-wavelength cones in circadian responses to light

Nonvisual responses to light, such as photic entrainment of the circadian clock, involve intrinsically light-sensitive melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells as well as rod and cone photoreceptors. However, previous studies have been unable to demonstrate a specific contribution of cones in the photic control of circadian responses to light. Using a mouse model that specifically lacks mid-wavelength (MW) cones we show that these photoreceptors play a significant role in light entrainment and in phase shifting of the circadian oscillator. The contribution of MW cones is mainly observed for light exposures of short duration and toward the longer wavelength region of the spectrum, consistent with the known properties of this opsin. Modeling the contributions of the various photoreceptors stresses the importance of considering the particular spectral, temporal, and irradiance response domains of the photopigments when assessing their role and contribution in circadian responses to light.

Wavelength-Dependent Modulation of Brain Responses to a Working Memory Task by Daytime Light Exposure

In addition to classical visual effects, light elicits nonvisual brain responses, which profoundly influence physiology and behavior. These effects are mediated in part by melanopsin-expressing light-sensitive ganglion cells that, in contrast to the classical photopic system that is maximally sensitive to green light (550 nm), is very sensitive to blue light (470-480 nm). At present, there is no evidence that blue light exposure is effective in modulating nonvisual brain activity related to complex cognitive tasks. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show that, while participants perform an auditory working memory task, a short (18 min) daytime exposure to blue (470 nm) or green (550 nm) monochromatic light (3 x 10(13) photons/cm2/s) differentially modulates regional brain responses. Blue light typically enhanced brain responses or at least prevented the decline otherwise observed following green light exposure in frontal and parietal cortices implicated in working memory, and in the thalamus involved in the modulation of cognition by arousal. Our results imply that monochromatic light can affect cognitive functions almost instantaneously and suggest that these effects are mediated by a melanopsin-based photoreceptor system.

Phototransduction in ganglion-cell photoreceptors

A third class of photoreceptors has recently been identified in the mammalian retina. They are a rare cell type within the class of ganglion cells, which are the output cells of the retina. These intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells support a variety of physiological responses to daylight, including synchronization of circadian rhythms, modulation of melatonin release, and regulation of pupil size. The goal of this review is to summarize what is currently known concerning the cellular and biochemical basis of phototransduction in these cells. I summarize the overwhelming evidence that melanopsin serves as the photopigment in these cells and review the emerging evidence that the downstream signaling cascade, including the light-gated channel, might resemble those found in rhabdomeric invertebrate photoreceptors.

Human and macaque pupil responses driven by melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells

Melanopsin, a novel photopigment, has recently been localized to a population of retinal ganglion cells that display inherent photosensitivity. During continuous light and following light offset, primates are known to exhibit sustained pupilloconstriction responses that resemble closely the photoresponses of intrinsically-photoreceptive ganglion cells. We report that, in the behaving macaque, following pharmacological blockade of conventional photoreceptor signals, significant pupillary responses persist during continuous light and following light offset. These pupil responses display the unique spectral tuning, slow kinetics, and irradiance coding of the sustained, melanopsin-derived ganglion cell photoresponses. We extended our observations to humans by using the sustained pupil response following light offset to document the contribution of these novel ganglion cells to human pupillary responses. Our results indicate that the intrinsic photoresponses of intrinsically-photoreceptive retinal ganglion cells play an important role in the pupillary light reflex and are primarily responsible for the sustained pupilloconstriction that occurs following light offset.

Circadian clocks: setting time by food

In mammals, daily rhythms in behaviour and physiology are driven by a circadian timing system comprised, in a hierarchical way, of a master pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus and of peripheral oscillators in most body cells. At the molecular level, in both the SCN and peripheral oscillators, the circadian clock mechanism is built from interconnected feedback loops in gene expression that operate in a cell-autonomous and self-sustained fashion. The SCN clock is mainly entrained by light/dark cycles. By contrast, peripheral oscillators can be strongly affected by daily feeding cycles, which have little effect on the phase of the SCN. However, when feeding schedules are coupled with a caloric restriction, behavioural and physiological circadian rhythms and gene expression in the SCN are shifted and/or entrained to meal-time. Moreover, the reward and motivational value of food can also be a potent synchroniser for the SCN clock. This suggests that energy metabolism and motivational properties of food can influence the clock mechanism of the SCN. Food-related cues may entrain clock genes of the SCN with a direct effect, or be mediated indirectly by another neural or peripheral site. In addition, there may be one or more oscillator sites that would play an integral role as a food-entrained oscillator (FEO), responsible for anticipation of meal-time. The site housing, or the network underlying, this putative FEO is still unknown. The aim of this review is to summarise our current knowledge of the central and peripheral circadian clocks and how they can be entrained by feeding at the physiological and molecular levels.

The molecular gatekeeper Dexras1 sculpts the photic responsiveness of the mammalian circadian clock

The mammalian master clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), is exquisitely sensitive to photic timing cues, but the key molecular events that sculpt both the phasing and magnitude of responsiveness are not understood. Here, we show that the Ras-like G-protein Dexras1 is a critical factor in these processes. Dexras1-deficient mice (dexras1-/-) exhibit a restructured nighttime phase response curve and a loss of gating to photic resetting during the day. Dexras1 affects the photic sensitivity by repressing or activating time-of-day-specific signaling pathways that regulate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). During the late night, Dexras1 limits the capacity of pituitary adenylate cyclase (PAC) activating peptide (PACAP)/PAC1 to affect ERK/MAPK, and in the early night, light-induced phase delays, which are mediated predominantly by NMDA receptors, are reduced as reported previously. Daytime photic phase advances are mediated by a novel signaling pathway that does not affect the SCN core but rather stimulates ERK/MAPK in the SCN shell and triggers downregulation of clock protein expression.

Circadian photoreception in vertebrates

To be adaptively useful, internal circadian clocks must be entrained (synchronized) to daily rhythms in the external world. The entraining process adjusts the period of the internal clock to 24 hours and its phase to a value that determines the organism's temporal niche (e.g., diurnal and nocturnal). For most vertebrates, the dominant environmental synchronizer is light. All vertebrates employ specialized photoreceptor cells to perceive synchronizing light signals, but mammals and nonmammalian vertebrates do this differently. Mammals concentrate circadian photoreceptors in the retina, employing rods, cones, and a subset of retinal ganglion cells that are directly photosensitive and contain an unusual photopigment (melanopsin). Nonmammalian vertebrates use photoreceptors located deep in the brain and in the pineal gland as well as others in the retina. Such photoreceptor extravagance is difficult to explain. It seems likely that the different photoreceptor classes in this elaborate sensory system may have specialized roles in entrainment. There is some evidence that this is in fact the case. Furthermore, this nonvisual "circadian" photoreceptive system also controls acute behavioral responses to light (masking), pupillary constriction, and photoperiodic regulation of reproductive state. We review some of the early work on birds and describe new findings that indicate specific roles for retinal rods, cones, and photosensitive retinal ganglion cells in mammals.

Multiple photoreceptors contribute to nonimage-forming visual functions predominantly through melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells

In the absence of functional rod and cone photoreceptors, mammals retain the ability to detect light for a variety of physiological functions such as circadian photoentrainment and pupillary light reflex. This is attributed to a third class of photoreceptors, the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells that express the photopigment melanopsin. Even though in the absence of rods and cones, mammals retain the ability to detect light for various nonimage-forming visual functions, rods and cones can compensate for the absence of the melanopsin protein in nonvisual light-dependent physiological behaviors. Several studies have addressed the relative contribution of each photoreceptor type to nonimage-forming visual functions; however, a comprehensive model for these interactions is far from complete. Under conditions where melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells were genetically ablated, image formation is maintained, whereas circadian photoentrainment and pupillary light reflex are severely impaired. The findings indicate that multiple photoreceptors contribute to nonimage-forming visual functions through signaling via melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells. Future studies will aim to determine more quantitatively the relative contributions of each retinal photoreceptor in signaling light for nonimage-forming visual functions.

A conductor hidden in the orchestra? Role of the habenular complex in monoamine transmission and cognition

Influences of the habenular complex on electrophysiological and neurochemical aspects of brain functioning are well known. However, its role in cognition has been sparsely investigated until recently. The habenular complex, composed of medial and lateral subdivisions, is a node linking the forebrain with midbrain and hindbrain structures. The lateral habenula is the principal actor in this direct dialogue, while the medial habenula mostly conveys information to the interpeduncular nucleus before this modulates further regions. Here we describe neuroanatomical and physiological aspects of the habenular complex, and its role in cognitive processes, including new behavioral, electrophysiological and imaging findings. Habenular complex lesions result in deficits in learning, memory and attention, some of which decline during repeated testing, while others become worse, consistent with multiple roles in cognition. The habenular complex is particularly responsive to feedback about errors. Electrophysiological studies indicate a role in metaplasticity, the modulation of neuroplasticity. These studies thus reveal important roles of the habenular complex in learning, memory and attention.

Expression of hermes gene is restricted to the ganglion cells in the retina

The RNA binding protein with multiple splicing 2, or hermes, is a member of the RRM (RNA recognition motif) family of RNA-binding proteins. In this study, we show that the hermes gene is expressed in the rat retina, and its expression is restricted to the ganglion cell layer. Double in situ hybridization with riboprobes corresponding to the hermes gene and Thy-1, the RGC marker in the retina, showed that the majority of the Thy-1 positive cells in the ganglion cell layer were also hermes positive. This was also shown by co-localization of the hermes in situ hybridization signals with the retrogradely labeled RGCs. Our observations suggest that hermes is expressed in the majority, if not all, of RGCs and is not restricted to only certain RGC types. Hermes in situ hybridization signals were not detected in the retinal sections of optic nerve transected animals, which are characterized by rapid and specific RGC degeneration. The dramatic reduction of the hermes mRNA level in axotomized retinas was also observed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The specific expression of hermes in retinal ganglion cells qualifies this gene as a potential RGC marker in the retina. Outside the retina, hermes is expressed in the heart, liver, and kidney, and to a lesser degree in the cerebellum, cortex, lung, and small intestine.