1
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Baier H, Scott EK. The Visual Systems of Zebrafish. Annu Rev Neurosci 2024; 47:255-276. [PMID: 38663429 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-111020-104854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
The zebrafish visual system has become a paradigmatic preparation for behavioral and systems neuroscience. Around 40 types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) serve as matched filters for stimulus features, including light, optic flow, prey, and objects on a collision course. RGCs distribute their signals via axon collaterals to 12 retinorecipient areas in forebrain and midbrain. The major visuomotor hub, the optic tectum, harbors nine RGC input layers that combine information on multiple features. The retinotopic map in the tectum is locally adapted to visual scene statistics and visual subfield-specific behavioral demands. Tectal projections to premotor centers are topographically organized according to behavioral commands. The known connectivity in more than 20 processing streams allows us to dissect the cellular basis of elementary perceptual and cognitive functions. Visually evoked responses, such as prey capture or loom avoidance, are controlled by dedicated multistation pathways that-at least in the larva-resemble labeled lines. This architecture serves the neuronal code's purpose of driving adaptive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herwig Baier
- Department of Genes-Circuits-Behavior, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Martinsried, Germany;
| | - Ethan K Scott
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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2
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Schmidt AR, Placer HJ, Muhammad IM, Shephard R, Patrick RL, Saurborn T, Horstick EJ, Bergeron SA. Transcriptional control of visual neural circuit development by GS homeobox 1. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011139. [PMID: 38669217 PMCID: PMC11051655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011139] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
As essential components of gene expression networks, transcription factors regulate neural circuit assembly. The homeobox transcription factor encoding gene, gs homeobox 1 (gsx1), is expressed in the developing visual system; however, no studies have examined its role in visual system formation. In zebrafish, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons that transmit visual information to the brain terminate in ten arborization fields (AFs) in the optic tectum (TeO), pretectum (Pr), and thalamus. Pretectal AFs (AF1-AF9) mediate distinct visual behaviors, yet we understand less about their development compared to AF10 in the TeO. Using gsx1 zebrafish mutants, immunohistochemistry, and transgenic lines, we observed that gsx1 is required for vesicular glutamate transporter, Tg(slc17a6b:DsRed), expression in the Pr, but not overall neuron number. gsx1 mutants have normal eye morphology, yet they exhibit impaired visual ability during prey capture. RGC axon volume in the gsx1 mutant Pr and TeO is reduced, and AF7 that is active during feeding is missing which is consistent with reduced hunting performance. Timed laser ablation of Tg(slc17a6b:DsRed)-positive cells reveals that they are necessary for AF7 formation. This work is the first to implicate gsx1 in establishing cell identity and functional neural circuits in the visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra R. Schmidt
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Haiden J. Placer
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Ishmael M. Muhammad
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Rebekah Shephard
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Regina L. Patrick
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Taylor Saurborn
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Eric J. Horstick
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
| | - Sadie A. Bergeron
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virgina, United States of America
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3
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Palieri V, Paoli E, Wu YK, Haesemeyer M, Grunwald Kadow IC, Portugues R. The preoptic area and dorsal habenula jointly support homeostatic navigation in larval zebrafish. Curr Biol 2024; 34:489-504.e7. [PMID: 38211586 PMCID: PMC10849091 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Animals must maintain physiological processes within an optimal temperature range despite changes in their environment. Through behavioral assays, whole-brain functional imaging, and neural ablations, we show that larval zebrafish, an ectothermic vertebrate, achieves thermoregulation through homeostatic navigation-non-directional and directional movements toward the temperature closest to its physiological setpoint. A brain-wide circuit encompassing several brain regions enables this behavior. We identified the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (PoA) as a key brain structure in triggering non-directional reorientation when thermal conditions are worsening. This result shows an evolutionary conserved role of the PoA as principal thermoregulator of the brain also in ectotherms. We further show that the habenula (Hb)-interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) circuit retains a short-term memory of the sensory history to support the generation of coherent directed movements even in the absence of continuous sensory cues. We finally provide evidence that this circuit may not be exclusive for temperature but may convey a more abstract representation of relative valence of physiologically meaningful stimuli regardless of their specific identity to enable homeostatic navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Palieri
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany; School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Emanuele Paoli
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - You Kure Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Haesemeyer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Ilona C Grunwald Kadow
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Medical Faculty (UKB), Nussallee 11, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Ruben Portugues
- Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, 80802 Munich, Germany; Munich Cluster of Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Feodor-Lynen-Str. 17, 81377 Munich, Germany.
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4
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Cai LT, Krishna VS, Hladnik TC, Guilbeault NC, Vijayakumar C, Arunachalam M, Juntti SA, Arrenberg AB, Thiele TR, Cooper EA. Spatiotemporal visual statistics of aquatic environments in the natural habitats of zebrafish. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12028. [PMID: 37491571 PMCID: PMC10368656 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36099-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal sensory systems are tightly adapted to the demands of their environment. In the visual domain, research has shown that many species have circuits and systems that exploit statistical regularities in natural visual signals. The zebrafish is a popular model animal in visual neuroscience, but relatively little quantitative data is available about the visual properties of the aquatic habitats where zebrafish reside, as compared to terrestrial environments. Improving our understanding of the visual demands of the aquatic habitats of zebrafish can enhance the insights about sensory neuroscience yielded by this model system. We analyzed a video dataset of zebrafish habitats captured by a stationary camera and compared this dataset to videos of terrestrial scenes in the same geographic area. Our analysis of the spatiotemporal structure in these videos suggests that zebrafish habitats are characterized by low visual contrast and strong motion when compared to terrestrial environments. Similar to terrestrial environments, zebrafish habitats tended to be dominated by dark contrasts, particularly in the lower visual field. We discuss how these properties of the visual environment can inform the study of zebrafish visual behavior and neural processing and, by extension, can inform our understanding of the vertebrate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanya T Cai
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Venkatesh S Krishna
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON, Canada
| | - Tim C Hladnik
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre for Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicholas C Guilbeault
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chinnian Vijayakumar
- Department of Zoology, Department of Zoology, St. Andrew's College, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Muthukumarasamy Arunachalam
- Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
- Centre for Inland Fishes and Conservation, St. Andrew's College, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Scott A Juntti
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Aristides B Arrenberg
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tod R Thiele
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON, Canada.
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Emily A Cooper
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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5
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Shen C, Cai Y, Li J, He C, Zuo Z. Mepanipyrim induces visual developmental toxicity and vision-guided behavioral alteration in zebrafish larvae. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 124:76-88. [PMID: 36182181 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Mepanipyrim, an anilinopyrimidine fungicide, has been extensively used to prevent fungal diseases in fruit culture. Currently, research on mepanipyrim-induced toxicity in organisms is still very scarce, especially visual developmental toxicity. Here, zebrafish larvae were employed to investigate mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity. Intense light and monochromatic light stimuli-evoked escape experiments were used to investigate vision-guided behaviors. Meanwhile, transcriptomic sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR assays were applied to assess the potential mechanisms of mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity and vision-guided behavioral alteration. Our results showed that mepanipyrim exposure could induce retinal impairment and vision-guided behavioral alteration in larval zebrafish. In addition, the grk1b gene of the phototransduction signaling pathway was found to be a potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-regulated gene. Mepanipyrim-induced visual developmental toxicity was potentially related to the AhR signaling pathway. Furthermore, mepanipyrim-induced behavioral alteration was guided by the visual function, and the effects of mepanipyrim on long and middle wavelength light-sensitive opsins may be the main cause of vision-guided behavioral alteration. Our results provide insights into understanding the relationship between visual development and vision-guided behaviors induced by mepanipyrim exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yimei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jialing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Chengyong He
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zhenghong Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
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6
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Holman JG, Lai WWK, Pichler P, Saska D, Lagnado L, Buckley CL. A behavioral and modeling study of control algorithms underlying the translational optomotor response in larval zebrafish with implications for neural circuit function. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010924. [PMID: 36821587 PMCID: PMC9998047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010924] [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: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The optomotor response (OMR) is central to the locomotory behavior in diverse animal species including insects, fish and mammals. Furthermore, the study of the OMR in larval zebrafish has become a key model system for investigating the neural basis of sensorimotor control. However, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying control algorithms is still outstanding. In fish it is often assumed that the OMR, by reducing average optic flow across the retina, serves to stabilize position with respect to the ground. Yet the degree to which this is achieved, and how it could emerge from the intermittent burst dynamics of larval zebrafish swimming, are unclear. Here, we combine detailed computational modeling with a new approach to free-swimming experiments in which we control the amount of visual feedback produced by a given motor effort by varying the height of the larva above a moving grid stimulus. We develop an account of underlying feedback control mechanisms that describes both the bout initiation process and the control of swim speed during bouts. We observe that the degree to which fish stabilize their position is only partial and height-dependent, raising questions about its function. We find the relative speed profile during bouts follows a fixed temporal pattern independent of absolute bout speed, suggesting that bout speed and bout termination are not separately controlled. We also find that the reverse optic flow, experienced when the fish is swimming faster than the stimulus, plays a minimal role in control of the OMR despite carrying most of the sensory information about self-movement. These results shed new light on the underlying dynamics of the OMR in larval zebrafish and will be crucial for future work aimed at identifying the neural basis of this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G. Holman
- School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (JGH); (CLB)
| | - Winnie W. K. Lai
- School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Pichler
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Saska
- School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Leon Lagnado
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher L. Buckley
- School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (JGH); (CLB)
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7
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Mrinalini R, Tamilanban T, Naveen Kumar V, Manasa K. Zebrafish - The Neurobehavioural Model in Trend. Neuroscience 2022; 520:95-118. [PMID: 36549602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is currently in vogue as a prevalently used experimental model for studies concerning neurobehavioural disorders and associated fields. Since the 1960s, this model has succeeded in breaking most barriers faced in the hunt for an experimental model. From its appearance to its high parity with human beings genetically, this model renders itself as an advantageous experimental lab animal. Neurobehavioural disorders have always posed an arduous task in terms of their detection as well as in determining their exact etiology. They are still, in most cases, diseases of interest for inventing or discovering novel pharmacological interventions. Thus, the need for a harbinger experimental model for studying neurobehaviours is escalating. Ensuring the same model is used for studying several neuro-studies conserves the results from inter-species variations. For this, we need a model that satisfies all the pre-requisite conditions to be made the final choice of model for neurobehavioural studies. This review recapitulates the progress of zebrafish as an experimental model with its most up-to-the-minute advances in the area. Various tests, assays, and responses employed using zebrafish in screening neuroactive drugs have been tabulated effectively. The tools, techniques, protocols, and apparatuses that bolster zebrafish studies are discussed. The probable research that can be done using zebrafish has also been briefly outlined. The various breeding and maintenance methods employed, along with the information on various strains available and most commonly used, are also elaborated upon, supplementing Zebrafish's use in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Mrinalini
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, India - 603203
| | - T Tamilanban
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, India - 603203
| | - V Naveen Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, India - 603203.
| | - K Manasa
- Department of Pharmacology, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, India - 603203
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8
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Koning HK, Ahemaiti A, Boije H. A deep-dive into fictive locomotion - a strategy to probe cellular activity during speed transitions in fictively swimming zebrafish larvae. Biol Open 2022; 11:274799. [PMID: 35188534 PMCID: PMC8966775 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fictive locomotion is frequently used to study locomotor output in paralyzed animals. We have evaluated the character of swim episodes elicited by different strategies in zebrafish. Motor output was measured on both sides of a body segment using electrodes and a pipeline for synchronizing stimulation and recording, denoising data and peak-finding was developed. The optomotor response generated swims most equivalent to spontaneous activity, while electrical stimulation and NMDA application caused various artefacts. Our optimal settings, optomotor stimulation using 5-day-old larvae, were combined with calcium imaging and optogenetics to validate the setup's utility. Expression of GCaMP5G by the mnx1 promoter allowed correlation of calcium traces of dozens of motor neurons to the fictive locomotor output. Activation of motor neurons through channelrhodopsin produced aberrant locomotor episodes. This strategy can be used to investigate novel neuronal populations in a high-throughput manner to reveal their role in shaping motor output. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: This approach combines fictive locomotion, elicited through the optomotor response, and calcium imaging or optogenetics, to investigate the role of neuronal populations in shaping motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmen Kornelis Koning
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-751 08, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Aikeremu Ahemaiti
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-751 08, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrik Boije
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-751 08, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Reddy G, Desban L, Tanaka H, Roussel J, Mirat O, Wyart C. A lexical approach for identifying behavioural action sequences. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009672. [PMID: 35007275 PMCID: PMC8782473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display characteristic behavioural patterns when performing a task, such as the spiraling of a soaring bird or the surge-and-cast of a male moth searching for a female. Identifying such recurring sequences occurring rarely in noisy behavioural data is key to understanding the behavioural response to a distributed stimulus in unrestrained animals. Existing models seek to describe the dynamics of behaviour or segment individual locomotor episodes rather than to identify the rare and transient sequences of locomotor episodes that make up the behavioural response. To fill this gap, we develop a lexical, hierarchical model of behaviour. We designed an unsupervised algorithm called "BASS" to efficiently identify and segment recurring behavioural action sequences transiently occurring in long behavioural recordings. When applied to navigating larval zebrafish, BASS extracts a dictionary of remarkably long, non-Markovian sequences consisting of repeats and mixtures of slow forward and turn bouts. Applied to a novel chemotaxis assay, BASS uncovers chemotactic strategies deployed by zebrafish to avoid aversive cues consisting of sequences of fast large-angle turns and burst swims. In a simulated dataset of soaring gliders climbing thermals, BASS finds the spiraling patterns characteristic of soaring behaviour. In both cases, BASS succeeds in identifying rare action sequences in the behaviour deployed by freely moving animals. BASS can be easily incorporated into the pipelines of existing behavioural analyses across diverse species, and even more broadly used as a generic algorithm for pattern recognition in low-dimensional sequential data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautam Reddy
- NSF-Simons Center for Mathematical & Statistical Analysis of Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura Desban
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Hidenori Tanaka
- Physics & Informatics Laboratories, NTT Research, Inc., East Palo Alto, California, United States of America
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Julian Roussel
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Mirat
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Claire Wyart
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau (ICM), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
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10
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Safarian N, Houshangi-Tabrizi S, Zoidl C, Zoidl GR. Panx1b Modulates the Luminance Response and Direction of Locomotion in the Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111750. [PMID: 34769181 PMCID: PMC8584175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pannexin1 (Panx1) can form ATP-permeable channels that play roles in the physiology of the visual system. In the zebrafish two ohnologs of Panx1, Panx1a and Panx1b, have unique and shared channel properties and tissue expression patterns. Panx1a channels are located in horizontal cells of the outer retina and modulate light decrement detection through an ATP/pH-dependent mechanisms and adenosine/dopamine signaling. Here, we decipher how the strategic localization of Panx1b channels in the inner retina and ganglion cell layer modulates visually evoked motor behavior. We describe a panx1b knockout model generated by TALEN technology. The RNA-seq analysis of 6 days post-fertilization larvae is confirmed by real-time PCR and paired with testing of locomotion behaviors by visual motor and optomotor response tests. We show that the loss of Panx1b channels disrupts the retinal response to an abrupt loss of illumination and it decreases the larval ability to follow leftward direction of locomotion in low light conditions. We concluded that the loss of Panx1b channels compromises the final output of luminance as well as motion detection. The Panx1b protein also emerges as a modulator of the circadian clock system. The disruption of the circadian clock system in mutants suggests that Panx1b could participate in non-image forming processes in the inner retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickie Safarian
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; (N.S.); (S.H.-T.); (C.Z.)
- Center of Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Sarah Houshangi-Tabrizi
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; (N.S.); (S.H.-T.); (C.Z.)
| | - Christiane Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; (N.S.); (S.H.-T.); (C.Z.)
- Center of Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Georg R. Zoidl
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; (N.S.); (S.H.-T.); (C.Z.)
- Center of Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
- Correspondence:
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11
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Matsuda K, Kubo F. Circuit Organization Underlying Optic Flow Processing in Zebrafish. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:709048. [PMID: 34366797 PMCID: PMC8334359 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.709048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals’ self-motion generates a drifting movement of the visual scene in the entire field of view called optic flow. Animals use the sensation of optic flow to estimate their own movements and accordingly adjust their body posture and position and stabilize the direction of gaze. In zebrafish and other vertebrates, optic flow typically drives the optokinetic response (OKR) and optomotor response (OMR). Recent functional imaging studies in larval zebrafish have identified the pretectum as a primary center for optic flow processing. In contrast to the view that the pretectum acts as a relay station of direction-selective retinal inputs, pretectal neurons respond to much more complex visual features relevant to behavior, such as spatially and temporally integrated optic flow information. Furthermore, optic flow signals, as well as motor signals, are represented in the cerebellum in a region-specific manner. Here we review recent findings on the circuit organization that underlies the optic flow processing driving OKR and OMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Matsuda
- Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Fumi Kubo
- Center for Frontier Research, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
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12
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Dehmelt FA, Meier R, Hinz J, Yoshimatsu T, Simacek CA, Huang R, Wang K, Baden T, Arrenberg AB. Spherical arena reveals optokinetic response tuning to stimulus location, size, and frequency across entire visual field of larval zebrafish. eLife 2021; 10:63355. [PMID: 34100720 PMCID: PMC8233042 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many animals have large visual fields, and sensory circuits may sample those regions of visual space most relevant to behaviours such as gaze stabilisation and hunting. Despite this, relatively small displays are often used in vision neuroscience. To sample stimulus locations across most of the visual field, we built a spherical stimulus arena with 14,848 independently controllable LEDs. We measured the optokinetic response gain of immobilised zebrafish larvae to stimuli of different steradian size and visual field locations. We find that the two eyes are less yoked than previously thought and that spatial frequency tuning is similar across visual field positions. However, zebrafish react most strongly to lateral, nearly equatorial stimuli, consistent with previously reported spatial densities of red, green, and blue photoreceptors. Upside-down experiments suggest further extra-retinal processing. Our results demonstrate that motion vision circuits in zebrafish are anisotropic, and preferentially monitor areas with putative behavioural relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian A Dehmelt
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Meier
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julian Hinz
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Takeshi Yoshimatsu
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Clara A Simacek
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ruoyu Huang
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kun Wang
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tom Baden
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Aristides B Arrenberg
- University of Tübingen, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Institute of Neurobiology, Tübingen, Germany
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13
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Zebrafish Models to Study New Pathways in Tauopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094626. [PMID: 33924882 PMCID: PMC8125481 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies represent a vast family of neurodegenerative diseases, the most well-known of which is Alzheimer’s disease. The symptoms observed in patients include cognitive deficits and locomotor problems and can lead ultimately to dementia. The common point found in all these pathologies is the accumulation in neural and/or glial cells of abnormal forms of Tau protein, leading to its aggregation and neurofibrillary tangles. Zebrafish transgenic models have been generated with different overexpression strategies of human Tau protein. These transgenic lines have made it possible to highlight Tau interacting factors or factors which may limit the neurotoxicity induced by mutations and hyperphosphorylation of the Tau protein in neurons. Several studies have tested neuroprotective pharmacological approaches. On few-days-old larvae, modulation of various signaling or degradation pathways reversed the deleterious effects of Tau mutations, mainly hTauP301L and hTauA152T. Live imaging and live tracking techniques as well as behavioral follow-up enable the analysis of the wide range of Tau-related phenotypes from synaptic loss to cognitive functional consequences.
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14
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LeFauve MK, Rowe CJ, Crowley-Perry M, Wiegand JL, Shapiro AG, Connaughton VP. Using a variant of the optomotor response as a visual defect detection assay in zebrafish. J Biol Methods 2021; 8:e144. [PMID: 33604396 PMCID: PMC7884848 DOI: 10.14440/jbm.2021.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a visual stimulus that can be used with both larval and adult zebrafish (Danio rerio). This protocol is a modification of a standard visual behavior analysis, the optomotor response (OMR). The OMR is often used to determine the spatial response or to detect directional visuomotor deficiencies. An OMR can be generated using a high contrast grated pattern, typically vertical bars. The spatial sensitivity is measured by detection and response to a change in grating bar width and is reported in cycles per degree (CPD). This test has been used extensively with zebrafish larvae and adults to identify visual- and/or motor-based mutations. Historically, when tested in adults, the grated pattern was presented from a vertical perspective, using a rotating cylinder around a holding tank, allowing the grating to be seen solely from the sides and front of the organism. In contrast, OMRs in zebrafish larvae are elicited using a stimulus projected below the fish. This difference in methodology means that two different experimental set-ups are required: one for adults and one for larvae. Our visual stimulus modifies the stimulation format so that a single OMR stimulus, suitable for use with both adults and larvae, is being presented underneath the fish. Analysis of visuomotor responses using this method does not require costly behavioral tracking software and, using a single behavioral paradigm, allows the observer to rapidly determine visual spatial response in both zebrafish larvae and adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K LeFauve
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, 800 22 St NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Cassie J Rowe
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.,Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Mikayla Crowley-Perry
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.,Department of Chemistry, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Jenna L Wiegand
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Arthur G Shapiro
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.,Department of Psychology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.,Department of Computer Science, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Victoria P Connaughton
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA.,Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
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15
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Color as an important biological variable in zebrafish models: Implications for translational neurobehavioral research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 124:1-15. [PMID: 33359096 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Color is an important environmental factor that in multiple ways affects human and animal behavior and physiology. Widely used in neuroscience research, various experimental (animal) models may help improve our understanding of how different colors impact brain and behavioral processes. Complementing laboratory rodents, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is rapidly emerging as an important novel model species to explore complex neurobehavioral processes. The growing utility of zebrafish in biomedicine makes it timely to consider the role of colors in their behavioral and physiological responses. Here, we summarize mounting evidence implicating colors as a critical variable in zebrafish models and neurobehavioral traits, with a particular relevance to CNS disease modeling, genetic and pharmacological modulation, as well as environmental enrichment and animal welfare. We also discuss the growing value of zebrafish models to study color neurobiology and color-related neurobehavioral phenomics, and outline future directions of research in this field.
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16
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Loring MD, Thomson EE, Naumann EA. Whole-brain interactions underlying zebrafish behavior. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2020; 65:88-99. [PMID: 33221591 PMCID: PMC10697041 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Detailed quantification of neural dynamics across the entire brain will be the key to genuinely understanding perception and behavior. With the recent developments in microscopy and biosensor engineering, the zebrafish has made a grand entrance in neuroscience as its small size and optical transparency enable imaging access to its entire brain at cellular and even subcellular resolution. However, until recently many neurobiological insights were largely correlational or provided little mechanistic insight into the brain-wide population dynamics generated by diverse types of neurons. Now with increasingly sophisticated behavioral, imaging, and causal intervention paradigms, zebrafish are revealing how entire vertebrate brains function. Here we review recent research that fulfills promises made by the early wave of technical advances. These studies reveal new features of brain-wide neural processing and the importance of integrative investigation and computational modelling. Moreover, we outline the future tools necessary for solving broader brain-scale circuit problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Loring
- Duke School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Eric E Thomson
- Duke School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Eva A Naumann
- Duke School of Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
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17
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Karaduman A, Karoglu-Eravsar ET, Kaya U, Aydin A, Adams MM, Kafaligonul H. The optomotor response of aging zebrafish reveals a complex relationship between visual motion characteristics and cholinergic system. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 98:21-32. [PMID: 33227566 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the principles underlying age-related changes in motion perception is paramount for improving the quality of life and health of older adults. However, the mechanisms underlying age-related alterations in this aspect of vision, which is essential for survival in a dynamic world, still remain unclear. Using optomotor responses to drifting gratings, we investigated age-related changes in motion detection of adult zebrafish (wild-type/AB-strain and achesb55/+ mutants with decreased levels of acetylcholinesterase). Our results pointed out negative optomotor responses that significantly depend on the spatial frequency and contrast level of stimulation, providing supporting evidence for the visual motion-driven aspect of this behavior mainly exhibited by adult zebrafish. Although there were no significant main effects of age and genotype, we found a significant three-way interaction between contrast level, age, and genotype. In the contrast domain, the changes in optomotor responses and thus in the detection of motion direction were age- and genotype-specific. Accordingly, these behavioral findings suggest a strong but complicated relationship between visual motion characteristics and the cholinergic system during neural aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysenur Karaduman
- National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Zebrafish Facility, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Elif Tugce Karoglu-Eravsar
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Zebrafish Facility, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Utku Kaya
- National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Alaz Aydin
- National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Michelle M Adams
- National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Zebrafish Facility, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hulusi Kafaligonul
- National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Zebrafish Facility, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
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18
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Cassar S, Dunn C, Ramos MF. Zebrafish as an Animal Model for Ocular Toxicity Testing: A Review of Ocular Anatomy and Functional Assays. Toxicol Pathol 2020; 49:438-454. [PMID: 33063651 DOI: 10.1177/0192623320964748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Xenobiotics make their way into organisms from diverse sources including diet, medication, and pollution. Our understanding of ocular toxicities from xenobiotics in humans, livestock, and wildlife is growing thanks to laboratory animal models. Anatomy and physiology are conserved among vertebrate eyes, and studies with common mammalian preclinical species (rodent, dog) can predict human ocular toxicity. However, since the eye is susceptible to toxicities that may not involve a histological correlate, and these species rely heavily on smell and hearing to navigate their world, discovering visual deficits can be challenging with traditional animal models. Alternative models capable of identifying functional impacts on vision and requiring minimal amounts of chemical are valuable assets to toxicology. Human and zebrafish eyes are anatomically and functionally similar, and it has been reported that several common human ocular toxicants cause comparable toxicity in zebrafish. Vision develops rapidly in zebrafish; the tiny larvae rely on visual cues as early as 4 days, and behavioral responses to those cues can be monitored in high-throughput fashion. This article describes the comparative anatomy of the zebrafish eye, the notable differences from the mammalian eye, and presents practical applications of this underutilized model for assessment of ocular toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Cassar
- Preclinical Safety, 419726AbbVie, Inc, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christina Dunn
- Preclinical Safety, 419726AbbVie, Inc, North Chicago, IL, USA
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19
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Yildizoglu T, Riegler C, Fitzgerald JE, Portugues R. A Neural Representation of Naturalistic Motion-Guided Behavior in the Zebrafish Brain. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2321-2333.e6. [PMID: 32386533 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
All animals must transform ambiguous sensory data into successful behavior. This requires sensory representations that accurately reflect the statistics of natural stimuli and behavior. Multiple studies show that visual motion processing is tuned for accuracy under naturalistic conditions, but the sensorimotor circuits extracting these cues and implementing motion-guided behavior remain unclear. Here we show that the larval zebrafish retina extracts a diversity of naturalistic motion cues, and the retinorecipient pretectum organizes these cues around the elements of behavior. We find that higher-order motion stimuli, gliders, induce optomotor behavior matching expectations from natural scene analyses. We then image activity of retinal ganglion cell terminals and pretectal neurons. The retina exhibits direction-selective responses across glider stimuli, and anatomically clustered pretectal neurons respond with magnitudes matching behavior. Peripheral computations thus reflect natural input statistics, whereas central brain activity precisely codes information needed for behavior. This general principle could organize sensorimotor transformations across animal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugce Yildizoglu
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Research Group of Sensorimotor Control, Martinsried 82152, Germany
| | - Clemens Riegler
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - James E Fitzgerald
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Ruben Portugues
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Research Group of Sensorimotor Control, Martinsried 82152, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience, Technical University of Munich, Munich 80802, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich 80802, Germany.
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