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Wisner SR, Saha A, Grimes WN, Mizerska K, Kolarik HJ, Wallin J, Diamond JS, Sinha R, Hoon M. Sensory deprivation arrests cellular and synaptic development of the night-vision circuitry in the retina. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4415-4429.e3. [PMID: 37769662 PMCID: PMC10615854 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Experience regulates synapse formation and function across sensory circuits. How inhibitory synapses in the mammalian retina are sculpted by visual cues remains unclear. By use of a sensory deprivation paradigm, we find that visual cues regulate maturation of two GABA synapse types (GABAA and GABAC receptor synapses), localized across the axon terminals of rod bipolar cells (RBCs)-second-order retinal neurons integral to the night-vision circuit. Lack of visual cues causes GABAA synapses at RBC terminals to retain an immature receptor configuration with slower response profiles and prevents receptor recruitment at GABAC synapses. Additionally, the organizing protein for both these GABA synapses, LRRTM4, is not clustered at dark-reared RBC synapses. Ultrastructurally, the total number of ribbon-output/inhibitory-input synapses across RBC terminals remains unaltered by sensory deprivation, although ribbon synapse output sites are misarranged when the circuit develops without visual cues. Intrinsic electrophysiological properties of RBCs and expression of chloride transporters across RBC terminals are additionally altered by sensory deprivation. Introduction to normal 12-h light-dark housing conditions facilitates maturation of dark-reared RBC GABA synapses and restoration of intrinsic RBC properties, unveiling a new element of light-dependent retinal cellular and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena R Wisner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Aindrila Saha
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - William N Grimes
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kamila Mizerska
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Hannah J Kolarik
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Julie Wallin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Diamond
- Synaptic Physiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Raunak Sinha
- McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Mrinalini Hoon
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; McPherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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Sun W, Gu S, Zhang F, Xu M, Chang P, Zhao Y. Congenital cataracts affect the retinal visual cycle and mitochondrial function: A multi-omics study of GJA8 knockout rabbits. J Proteomics 2023; 287:104972. [PMID: 37467890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2023.104972] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Congenital cataracts are a threat to visual development in children, and the visual impairment persists after surgical treatment; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Previous clinical studies have identified the effect of congenital cataracts on retinal morphology and function. To further understand the molecular mechanisms by which congenital cataracts affect retinal development, we analyzed retina samples from 7-week-old GJA8-knockout rabbits with congenital cataracts and controls by four-dimensional label-free quantification proteomics and untargeted metabolomics. Bioinformatics analysis of proteomic data showed that retinol metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid degradation pathways were downregulated in the retinas of rabbits with congenital cataracts, indicating that their visual cycle and mitochondrial function were affected. Additional validation of differentially abundant proteins related to the visual cycle and mitochondrial function was performed using Parallel reaction monitoring and western blot experiments. Untargeted metabolome analysis showed significant upregulation of the antioxidant glutathione and ascorbic acid in the retinas of rabbits with congenital cataracts, indicating that their oxidative stress balance was not dysregulated. SIGNIFICANCE: Congenital cataracts in children can alter retinal structure and function, yet the mechanisms are uncertain. Here is the first study to use proteomics and metabolomics approaches to investigate the effects of congenital cataracts on retinal development in the early postnatal period. Our findings suggest that congenital cataracts have an impact on the retinal visual cycle and mitochondrial function. These findings give insight on the molecular pathways behind congenital cataract-induced visual function impairment in the early postnatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Sun
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Siyi Gu
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Mengxiang Xu
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China
| | - Pingjun Chang
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China.
| | - Yune Zhao
- Wenzhou Medical University School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Eye Hospital, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; The State Key Laboratory of Optometry, Ophthalmology and Vision Science, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China; National Center for Clinical and Medical Research, 270 Xueyuan Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325003, China.
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3
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Bonezzi PJ, Tarchick MJ, Moore BD, Renna JM. Light drives the developmental progression of outer retinal function. J Gen Physiol 2023; 155:e202213262. [PMID: 37432412 PMCID: PMC10336150 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213262] [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: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex nature of rod and cone photoreceptors and the light-evoked responsivity of bipolar cells in the mature rodent retina have been well characterized. However, little is known about the emergent light-evoked response properties of the mouse retina and the role light plays in shaping these emergent responses. We have previously demonstrated that the outer retina is responsive to green light as early as postnatal day 8 (P8). Here, we characterize the progression of both photoreceptors (rods and cones) and bipolar cell responses during development and into adulthood using ex vivo electroretinogram recordings. Our data show that the majority of photoreceptor response at P8 originates from cones and that these outputs drive second-order bipolar cell responses as early as P9. We find that the magnitude of the photoresponse increases concurrently with each passing day of postnatal development and that many functional properties of these responses, as well as the relative rod/cone contributions to the total light-evoked response, are age dependent. We compare these responses at eye opening and maturity to age-matched animals raised in darkness and found that the absence of light diminishes emergent and mature cone-to-bipolar cell signaling. Furthermore, we found cone-evoked responses to be significantly slower in dark-reared retinas. Together, this work characterizes the developmental photoresponsivity of the mouse retina while highlighting the importance of properly timed sensory input for the maturation of the first visual system synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J. Bonezzi
- Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Jordan M. Renna
- Department of Biology, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
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Carvalho J, Fernandes FF, Shemesh N. Extensive topographic remapping and functional sharpening in the adult rat visual pathway upon first visual experience. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002229. [PMID: 37590177 PMCID: PMC10434970 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of stability/plasticity balances during adulthood is pivotal for learning, disease, and recovery from injury. However, the brain-wide topography of sensory remapping remains unknown. Here, using a first-of-its-kind setup for delivering patterned visual stimuli in a rodent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, coupled with biologically inspired computational models, we noninvasively mapped brain-wide properties-receptive fields (RFs) and spatial frequency (SF) tuning curves-that were insofar only available from invasive electrophysiology or optical imaging. We then tracked the RF dynamics in the chronic visual deprivation model (VDM) of plasticity and found that light exposure progressively promoted a large-scale topographic remapping in adult rats. Upon light exposure, the initially unspecialized visual pathway progressively evidenced sharpened RFs (smaller and more spatially selective) and enhanced SF tuning curves. Our findings reveal that visual experience following VDM reshapes both structure and function of the visual system and shifts the stability/plasticity balance in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Carvalho
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisca F. Fernandes
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Noam Shemesh
- Laboratory of Preclinical MRI, Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
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5
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Wang Y, Wong J, Duncan JL, Roorda A, Tuten WS. Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome: Elevated Cone Counts Confer Supernormal Visual Acuity in the S-Cone Pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:17. [PMID: 37459066 PMCID: PMC10362924 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.10.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To measure photoreceptor packing density and S-cone spatial resolution as a function of retinal eccentricity in patients with enhanced S-cone syndrome (ESCS) and to discuss the possible mechanisms supporting their supernormal S-cone acuity. Methods We used an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to characterize photoreceptor packing. A custom non-AO display channel was used to measure L/M- and S-cone-mediated visual acuity during AOSLO imaging. Acuity measurements were obtained using a four-alternative, forced-choice, tumbling E paradigm along the temporal meridian between the fovea and 4° eccentricity in five of six patients and in seven control subjects. L/M acuity was tested by presenting long-pass-filtered optotypes on a black background, excluding wavelengths to which S-cones are sensitive. S-cone isolation was achieved using a two-color, blue-on-yellow chromatic adaptation method that was validated on three control subjects. Results Inter-cone spacing measurements revealed a near-uniform cone density profile (ranging from 0.9-1.5 arcmin spacing) throughout the macula in ESCS. For comparison, normal cone density decreases by a factor of 14 from the fovea to 6°. Cone spacing of ESCS subjects was higher than normal in the fovea and subnormal beyond 2°. Compared to the control subjects (n = 7), S-cone-mediated acuities in patients with ESCS were normal near the fovea and became increasingly supernormal with retinal eccentricity. Beyond 2°, S-cone acuities were superior to L/M-cone-mediated acuity in the ESCS cohort, a reversal of the trend observed in normal retinas. Conclusions Higher than normal parafoveal cone densities (presumably dominated by S-cones) confer better than normal S-cone-mediated acuity in ESCS subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyi Wang
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States
| | - Jessica Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Jacque L Duncan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Austin Roorda
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States
| | - William S Tuten
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States
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6
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Cao Y, Fajardo D, Guerrero-Given D, Samuel MA, Ohtsuka T, Boye SE, Kamasawa N, Martemyanov KA. Post-developmental plasticity of the primary rod pathway allows restoration of visually guided behaviors. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4783-4796.e3. [PMID: 36179691 PMCID: PMC9691582 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The formation of neural circuits occurs in a programmed fashion, but proper activity in the circuit is essential for refining the organization necessary for driving complex behavioral tasks. In the retina, sensory deprivation during the critical period of development is well known to perturb the organization of the visual circuit making the animals unable to use vision for behavior. However, the extent of plasticity, molecular factors involved, and malleability of individual channels in the circuit to manipulations outside of the critical period are not well understood. In this study, we selectively disconnected and reconnected rod photoreceptors in mature animals after completion of the retina circuit development. We found that introducing synaptic rod photoreceptor input post-developmentally allowed their integration into the circuit both anatomically and functionally. Remarkably, adult mice with newly integrated rod photoreceptors gained high-sensitivity vision, even when it was absent from birth. These observations reveal plasticity of the retina circuit organization after closure of the critical period and encourage the development of vision restoration strategies for congenital blinding disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Cao
- Department of Neuroscience, UF Scripps Biomedical Research, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Diego Fajardo
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Debbie Guerrero-Given
- The Imaging Center, Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute, 1 Max Planck Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Melanie A Samuel
- Department of Neuroscience, Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Toshihisa Ohtsuka
- Department of Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Shannon E Boye
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Naomi Kamasawa
- The Imaging Center, Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute, 1 Max Planck Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Kirill A Martemyanov
- Department of Neuroscience, UF Scripps Biomedical Research, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
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7
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Lin TH, Kolodkin AL. Circuit engineering: Rewiring adult outer retina connections. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R1276-R1278. [PMID: 36413972 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Rewiring and repairing neural circuitry has long been an important goal in neuroscience research. A new study employing clever genetic tools successfully restored synaptic connections in the adult mammalian outer retina and accompanying visually evoked behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Huai Lin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Alex L Kolodkin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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8
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Fitzpatrick MJ, Kerschensteiner D. Homeostatic plasticity in the retina. Prog Retin Eye Res 2022; 94:101131. [PMID: 36244950 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Vision begins in the retina, whose intricate neural circuits extract salient features of the environment from the light entering our eyes. Neurodegenerative diseases of the retina (e.g., inherited retinal degenerations, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma) impair vision and cause blindness in a growing number of people worldwide. Increasing evidence indicates that homeostatic plasticity (i.e., the drive of a neural system to stabilize its function) can, in principle, preserve retinal function in the face of major perturbations, including neurodegeneration. Here, we review the circumstances and events that trigger homeostatic plasticity in the retina during development, sensory experience, and disease. We discuss the diverse mechanisms that cooperate to compensate and the set points and outcomes that homeostatic retinal plasticity stabilizes. Finally, we summarize the opportunities and challenges for unlocking the therapeutic potential of homeostatic plasticity. Homeostatic plasticity is fundamental to understanding retinal development and function and could be an important tool in the fight to preserve and restore vision.
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9
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Zhang C, Hellevik A, Takeuchi S, Wong RO. Hierarchical partner selection shapes rod-cone pathway specificity in the inner retina. iScience 2022; 25:105032. [PMID: 36117987 PMCID: PMC9474917 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons form stereotyped microcircuits that underlie specific functions. In the vertebrate retina, the primary rod and cone pathways that convey dim and bright light signals, respectively, exhibit distinct wiring patterns. Rod and cone pathways are thought to be assembled separately during development. However, using correlative fluorescence imaging and serial electron microscopy, we show here that cross-pathway interactions are involved to achieve pathway-specific connectivity within the inner retina. We found that A17 amacrine cells, a rod pathway-specific cellular component, heavily bias their synaptogenesis with rod bipolar cells (RBCs) but increase their connectivity with cone bipolar cells (CBCs) when RBCs are largely ablated. This cross-pathway synaptic plasticity occurs during synaptogenesis and is triggered even on partial loss of RBCs. Thus, A17 cells adopt a hierarchical approach in selecting postsynaptic partners from functionally distinct pathways (RBC>CBC), in which contact and/or synaptogenesis with preferred partners (RBCs) influences connectivity with less-preferred partners (CBCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ayana Hellevik
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Rachel O. Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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10
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Strettoi E, Di Marco B, Orsini N, Napoli D. Retinal Plasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031138. [PMID: 35163059 PMCID: PMC8835074 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain plasticity is a well-established concept designating the ability of central nervous system (CNS) neurons to rearrange as a result of learning, when adapting to changeable environmental conditions or else while reacting to injurious factors. As a part of the CNS, the retina has been repeatedly probed for its possible ability to respond plastically to a variably altered environment or to pathological insults. However, numerous studies support the conclusion that the retina, outside the developmental stage, is endowed with only limited plasticity, exhibiting, instead, a remarkable ability to maintain a stable architectural and functional organization. Reviewed here are representative examples of hippocampal and cortical paradigms of plasticity and of retinal structural rearrangements found in organization and circuitry following altered developmental conditions or occurrence of genetic diseases leading to neuronal degeneration. The variable rate of plastic changes found in mammalian retinal neurons in different circumstances is discussed, focusing on structural plasticity. The likely adaptive value of maintaining a low level of plasticity in an organ subserving a sensory modality that is dominant for the human species and that requires elevated fidelity is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Strettoi
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (B.D.M.); (N.O.); (D.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0503153213
| | - Beatrice Di Marco
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (B.D.M.); (N.O.); (D.N.)
- Regional Doctorate School in Neuroscience, Universities of Florence, Pisa and Siena, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Noemi Orsini
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (B.D.M.); (N.O.); (D.N.)
- Regional Doctorate School in Neuroscience, Universities of Florence, Pisa and Siena, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Debora Napoli
- CNR Neuroscience Institute, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (B.D.M.); (N.O.); (D.N.)
- Regional Doctorate School in Neuroscience, Universities of Florence, Pisa and Siena, 50134 Florence, Italy
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11
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Burger CA, Jiang D, Mackin RD, Samuel MA. Development and maintenance of vision's first synapse. Dev Biol 2021; 476:218-239. [PMID: 33848537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Synapses in the outer retina are the first information relay points in vision. Here, photoreceptors form synapses onto two types of interneurons, bipolar cells and horizontal cells. Because outer retina synapses are particularly large and highly ordered, they have been a useful system for the discovery of mechanisms underlying synapse specificity and maintenance. Understanding these processes is critical to efforts aimed at restoring visual function through repairing or replacing neurons and promoting their connectivity. We review outer retina neuron synapse architecture, neural migration modes, and the cellular and molecular pathways that play key roles in the development and maintenance of these connections. We further discuss how these mechanisms may impact connectivity in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Burger
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Danye Jiang
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Robert D Mackin
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Melanie A Samuel
- Huffington Center on Aging, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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12
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Smith BJ, Côté PD, Tremblay F. Voltage-gated sodium channel-dependent retroaxonal modulation of photoreceptor function during post-natal development in mice. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:353-365. [PMID: 33248000 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22793] [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: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Juvenile (postnatal day 16) mice lacking Nav 1.6 channels (null-mutant Scn8admu ) have reduced photoreceptor function, which is unexpected given that Nav channels have not been detected in mouse photoreceptors and do not contribute appreciably to photoreceptor function in adults. We demonstrate that acute block of Nav channels with intravitreal TTX in juvenile (P16) wild-type mice has no effect on photoreceptor function. However, reduced light activity by prolonged dark adaptation from P8 caused significant reduction in photoreceptor function at P16. Injecting TTX into the retrobulbar space at P16 to specifically block Nav channels in the optic nerve also caused a reduction in photoreceptor function comparable to that seen at P16 in null-mutant Scn8a mice. In both P16 null-mutant Scn8admu and retrobulbar TTX-injected wild-type mice, photoreceptor function was restored following intravitreal injection of the TrkB receptor agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, linking Nav -dependent retrograde transport to TrkB-dependent neurotrophic factor production pathways as a modulatory influence of photoreceptor function at P16. We also found that in Scn8admu mice, photoreceptor function recovers by P22-25 despite more precarious general health of the animal. Retrobulbar injection of TTX in the wild type still reduced the photoreceptor response at this age but to a lesser extent, suggesting that Nav -dependent modulation of photoreceptor function is largely transient, peaking soon after eye opening. Together, these results suggest that the general photosensitivity of the retina is modulated following eye opening by retrograde transport through activity-dependent retinal ganglion cell axonal signaling targeting TrkB receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Smith
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Patrice D Côté
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - François Tremblay
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre, Halifax, NS, Canada
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13
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Lagali PS, Zhao BYH, Yan K, Baker AN, Coupland SG, Tsilfidis C, Picketts DJ. Sensory Experience Modulates Atrx-mediated Neuronal Integrity in the Mouse Retina. Neuroscience 2020; 452:169-180. [PMID: 33197500 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Mutation of the α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked protein, ATRX, causes intellectual disability and is associated with pleiotropic defects including ophthalmological abnormalities. We have previously demonstrated that Atrx deficiency in the mouse retina leads to the selective loss of inhibitory interneurons and inner retinal dysfunction. Onset of the amacrine cell neurodegenerative phenotype in Atrx-deficient retinas occurs postnatally after neuronal specification, and coincides with eye opening. Given this timing, we sought to interrogate the influence of light-dependent visual signaling on Atrx-mediated neuronal survival and function in the mouse retina. Retina-specific Atrx conditional knockout (cKO) mice were subjected to light deprivation using two different paradigms: (1) a dark-rearing regime, and (2) genetic deficiency of metabotropic glutamate receptor 6 (mGluR6) to block the ON retinal signaling pathway. Scotopic electroretinography was performed for adult dark-reared Atrx cKO mice and controls to measure retinal neuron function in vivo. Retinal immunohistochemistry and enumeration of amacrine cells were performed for both light deprivation paradigms. We observed milder normalized a-wave, b-wave and oscillatory potential (OP) deficits in electroretinograms of dark-reared Atrx cKO mice compared to light-exposed counterparts. In addition, amacrine cell loss was partially limited by genetic restriction of retinal signaling through the ON pathway. Our results suggest that the temporal features of the Atrx cKO phenotype are likely due to a combined effect of light exposure upon eye opening and coincident developmental processes impacting the retinal circuitry. In addition, this study reveals a novel activity-dependent role for Atrx in mediating post-replicative neuronal integrity in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela S Lagali
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada; Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Brandon Y H Zhao
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Keqin Yan
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Adam N Baker
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Stuart G Coupland
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Catherine Tsilfidis
- Neuroscience Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - David J Picketts
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada.
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14
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Bonezzi PJ, Tarchick MJ, Renna JM. Ex vivo electroretinograms made easy: performing ERGs using 3D printed components. J Physiol 2020; 598:4821-4842. [PMID: 32886799 DOI: 10.1113/jp280014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Rod and cone photoreceptors convert light into electrochemical signals that are transferred to second order cells, initiating image-forming visual processing. Electroretinograms (ERGs) can detect the associated light-induced extracellular transretinal events, allowing for physiological assessment of cellular activity from morphologically intact retinas. We outline a method for economically configuring a traditional patch-clamp rig for performing high signal-to-noise ex vivo ERGs. We accomplish this by incorporating various 3D printed components and by modifying existing light pathways in a typical patch-clamp rig. This methodology provides an additional set of tools to labs interested in studying the physiological function of neuronal populations in isolated retinal tissue. ABSTRACT Rod and cone photoreceptors of the retina are responsible for the initial stages in vision and convey sensory information regarding our visual world across a wide range of lighting conditions. These photoreceptors hyperpolarize in the presence of light and subsequently transmit signals to second-order bipolar and horizontal cells. The electrical components of these events are experimentally detectable, and in conjunction with pharmacological agents, can be further separated into their respective cellular contributions using electroretinograms (ERGs). Extracellular activity from populations of rods and cones generate the negative-going a-wave, while ON-bipolar cells generate positive-going b-waves. ERGs can be performed in vivo or alternatively using an ex vivo configuration, where retinas are isolated and transretinal photovoltages are recorded at high signal-to-noise ratios. However, most ERG set-ups require their own unique set of tools. We demonstrate how, at low cost, to reconfigure a typical patch-clamp rig for ERG recordings. The bulk of these modifications require implementation of various 3D printed components, which can alternatively aid in generating a stand-alone ERG set-up without a patch-rig. Further, we discuss how to configure an ERG system without a patch-clamp rig. Compared to in vivo ERGs, these are superior when measuring small responses, such as those that are cone-evoked or those from immature mouse retinae. This recording configuration provides high signal-to-noise detection of a-waves (300-600 µV) and b-waves (1-3 mV), and is ultimately capable of discerning small (1-2 µV) photovoltages from noise. These quick and economical modifications allow researchers to equip their technical arsenal with an interchangeable patch-clamp/ERG system.
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15
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Early Visual Motion Experience Improves Retinal Encoding of Motion Directions. J Neurosci 2020; 40:5431-5442. [PMID: 32532886 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0569-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered sensory experience in early life often leads to altered response properties of the sensory neurons. This process is mostly thought to happen in the brain, not in the sensory organs. We show that in the mouse retina of both sexes, exposed to a motion-dominated visual environment from eye-opening, the ON-OFF direction selective ganglion cells (ooDSGCs) develop significantly stronger direction encoding ability for motion in all directions. This improvement occurs independent of the motion direction used for training. We demonstrated that this enhanced ability to encode motion direction is mainly attributed to increased response reliability of ooDSGCs. Closer examination revealed that the excitatory inputs from the ON bipolar pathway showed enhanced response reliability after the motion experience training, while other synaptic inputs remain relatively unchanged. Our results demonstrate that retina adapts to the visual environment during neonatal development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We found that retina, as the first stage of visual sensation, can also be affected by experience dependent plasticity during development. Exposure to a motion enriched visual environment immediately after eye-opening greatly improves motion direction encoding by direction selective retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). These results motivate future studies aimed at understanding how visual experience shapes the retinal circuits and the response properties of retinal neurons.
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16
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Care RA, Kastner DB, De la Huerta I, Pan S, Khoche A, Della Santina L, Gamlin C, Santo Tomas C, Ngo J, Chen A, Kuo YM, Ou Y, Dunn FA. Partial Cone Loss Triggers Synapse-Specific Remodeling and Spatial Receptive Field Rearrangements in a Mature Retinal Circuit. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2171-2183.e5. [PMID: 31091454 PMCID: PMC6624172 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Resilience of neural circuits has been observed in the persistence of function despite neuronal loss. In vision, acuity and sensitivity can be retained after 50% loss of cones. While neurons in the cortex can remodel after input loss, the contributions of cell-type-specific circuits to resilience are unknown. Here, we study the effects of partial cone loss in mature mouse retina where cell types and connections are known. At first-order synapses, bipolar cell dendrites remodel and synaptic proteins diminish at sites of input loss. Sites of remaining inputs preserve synaptic proteins. Second-order synapses between bipolar and ganglion cells remain stable. Functionally, ganglion cell spatio-temporal receptive fields retain center-surround structure following partial cone loss. We find evidence for slower temporal filters and expanded receptive field surrounds, derived mainly from inhibitory inputs. Surround expansion is absent in partially stimulated control retina. Results demonstrate functional resilience to input loss beyond pre-existing mechanisms in control retina. Care et al. find that photoreceptor ablation causes structural rearrangement of bipolar cell input synapses while output synapses endure. Functionally, recipient ganglion cells show altered receptive field sizes, an effect not seen after partial stimulation of control retina, demonstrating de novo changes that occur in inhibitory circuitry after photoreceptor loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Care
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David B Kastner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Irina De la Huerta
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Simon Pan
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Atrey Khoche
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Luca Della Santina
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Clare Gamlin
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Chad Santo Tomas
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jenita Ngo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Allen Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Yien-Ming Kuo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Yvonne Ou
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Felice A Dunn
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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17
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Tufford AR, Onyak JR, Sondereker KB, Lucas JA, Earley AM, Mattar P, Hattar S, Schmidt TM, Renna JM, Cayouette M. Melanopsin Retinal Ganglion Cells Regulate Cone Photoreceptor Lamination in the Mouse Retina. Cell Rep 2019; 23:2416-2428. [PMID: 29791852 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Newborn neurons follow molecular cues to reach their final destination, but whether early life experience influences lamination remains largely unexplored. As light is among the first stimuli to reach the developing nervous system via intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), we asked whether ipRGCs could affect lamination in the developing mouse retina. We show here that ablation of ipRGCs causes cone photoreceptors to mislocalize at different apicobasal positions in the retina. This effect is partly mediated by light-evoked activity in ipRGCs, as dark rearing or silencing of ipRGCs leads a subset of cones to mislocalize. Furthermore, ablation of ipRGCs alters the cone transcriptome and decreases expression of the dopamine receptor D4, while injection of L-DOPA or D4 receptor agonist rescues the displaced cone phenotype observed in dark-reared animals. These results show that early light-mediated activity in ipRGCs influences neuronal lamination and identify ipRGC-elicited dopamine release as a mechanism influencing cone position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele R Tufford
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Jasmine A Lucas
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Aaron M Earley
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Pierre Mattar
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jordan M Renna
- Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, USA
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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18
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Grassmeyer JJ, Cahill AL, Hays CL, Barta C, Quadros RM, Gurumurthy CB, Thoreson WB. Ca 2+ sensor synaptotagmin-1 mediates exocytosis in mammalian photoreceptors. eLife 2019; 8:e45946. [PMID: 31172949 PMCID: PMC6588344 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To encode light-dependent changes in membrane potential, rod and cone photoreceptors utilize synaptic ribbons to sustain continuous exocytosis while making rapid, fine adjustments to release rate. Release kinetics are shaped by vesicle delivery down ribbons and by properties of exocytotic Ca2+ sensors. We tested the role for synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) in photoreceptor exocytosis by using novel mouse lines in which Syt1 was conditionally removed from rods or cones. Photoreceptors lacking Syt1 exhibited marked reductions in exocytosis as measured by electroretinography and single-cell recordings. Syt1 mediated all evoked release in cones, whereas rods appeared capable of some slow Syt1-independent release. Spontaneous release frequency was unchanged in cones but increased in rods lacking Syt1. Loss of Syt1 did not alter synaptic anatomy or reduce Ca2+ currents. These results suggest that Syt1 mediates both phasic and tonic release at photoreceptor synapses, revealing unexpected flexibility in the ability of Syt1 to regulate Ca2+-dependent synaptic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin J Grassmeyer
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Asia L Cahill
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Cassandra L Hays
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
- Department of Cellular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Cody Barta
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Rolen M Quadros
- Mouse Genome Engineering Core Facility, Vice Chancellor for Research OfficeUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Channabasavaiah B Gurumurthy
- Mouse Genome Engineering Core Facility, Vice Chancellor for Research OfficeUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
- Developmental Neuroscience, Munroe Meyer Institute for Genetics and RehabilitationUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
| | - Wallace B Thoreson
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental NeuroscienceUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUnited States
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19
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Akiba R, Matsuyama T, Tu HY, Hashiguchi T, Sho J, Yamamoto S, Takahashi M, Mandai M. Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Photoreceptor Synapses in Developing, Degenerating and Regenerating Retinas. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:16. [PMID: 30804754 PMCID: PMC6378395 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of synapses is crucial to understand neural connectivity. This is particularly relevant now, in view of the recent advances in regenerative biology and medicine. There is an urgent need to evaluate synapses to access the extent and functionality of reconstructed neural network. Most of the currently used synapse evaluation methods provide only all-or-none assessments. However, very often synapses appear in a wide spectrum of transient states such as during synaptogenesis or neural degeneration. Robust evaluation of synapse quantity and quality is therefore highly sought after. In this paper we introduce QUANTOS, a new method that can evaluate the number, likelihood, and maturity of photoreceptor ribbon synapses based on graphical properties of immunohistochemistry images. QUANTOS is composed of ImageJ Fiji macros, and R scripts which are both open-source and free software. We used QUANTOS to evaluate synaptogenesis in developing and degenerating retinas, as well as de novo synaptogenesis of mouse iPSC-retinas after transplantation to a retinal degeneration mouse model. Our analysis shows that while mouse iPSC-retinas are largely incapable of forming synapses in vitro, they can form extensive synapses following transplantation. The de novo synapses detected after transplantation seem to be in an intermediate state between mature and immature compared to wildtype retina. Furthermore, using QUANTOS we tested whether environmental light can affect photoreceptor synaptogenesis. We found that the onset of synaptogenesis was earlier under cyclic light (LD) condition when compared to constant dark (DD), resulting in more synapses at earlier developmental stages. The effect of light was also supported by micro electroretinography showing larger responses under LD condition. The number of synapses was also increased after transplantation of mouse iPSC-retinas to rd1 mice under LD condition. Our new probabilistic assessment of synapses may prove to be a valuable tool to gain critical insights into neural-network reconstruction and help develop treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryutaro Akiba
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Take Matsuyama
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hung-Ya Tu
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Tomoyo Hashiguchi
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Junki Sho
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Shuichi Yamamoto
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masayo Takahashi
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
| | - Michiko Mandai
- Laboratory for Retinal Regeneration, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan
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20
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Kautzman AG, Keeley PW, Ackley CR, Leong S, Whitney IE, Reese BE. Xkr8 Modulates Bipolar Cell Number in the Mouse Retina. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:876. [PMID: 30559640 PMCID: PMC6286994 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study interrogated a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on Chr 4 associated with the population sizes of two types of bipolar cell in the mouse retina. This locus was identified by quantifying the number of rod bipolar cells and Type 2 cone bipolar cells across a panel of recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice derived from two inbred laboratory strains, C57BL/6J (B6/J) and A/J, and mapping a proportion of that variation in cell number, for each cell type, to this shared locus. There, we identified the candidate gene X Kell blood group precursor related family member 8 homolog (Xkr8). While Xkr8 has no documented role in the retina, we localize robust expression in the mature retina via in situ hybridization, confirm its developmental presence via immunolabeling, and show that it is differentially regulated during the postnatal period between the B6/J and A/J strains using qPCR. Microarray analysis, derived from whole eye mRNA from the entire RI strain set, demonstrates significant negative correlation of Xkr8 expression with the number of each of these two types of bipolar cells, and the variation in Xkr8 expression across the strains maps a cis-eQTL, implicating a regulatory variant discriminating the parental genomes. Xkr8 plasmid electroporation during development yielded a reduction in the number of bipolar cells in the retina, while sequence analysis of Xkr8 in the two parental strain genomes identified a structural variant in the 3′ UTR that may disrupt mRNA stability, and two SNPs in the promoter that create transcription factor binding sites. We propose that Xkr8, via its participation in mediating cell death, plays a role in the specification of bipolar cell number in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda G Kautzman
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Patrick W Keeley
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Caroline R Ackley
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Stephanie Leong
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Irene E Whitney
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin E Reese
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
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21
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Tiriac A, Smith BE, Feller MB. Light Prior to Eye Opening Promotes Retinal Waves and Eye-Specific Segregation. Neuron 2018; 100:1059-1065.e4. [PMID: 30392793 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Retinal waves are bursts of correlated activity that occur prior to eye opening and provide a critical source of activity that drives the refinement of retinofugal projections. Retinal waves are thought to be initiated spontaneously with their spatiotemporal features dictated by immature neural circuits. Here we demonstrate that, during the second postnatal week in mice, changes in light intensity dictate where and when a subset of retinal waves are triggered via activation of conventional photoreceptors. Propagation properties of triggered waves are indistinguishable from spontaneous waves, indicating that they are activating the same retinal circuits. Using whole-brain imaging techniques, we demonstrate that light deprivation prior to eye opening diminishes eye-specific segregation of the retinal projections to the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, but not other retinal targets. These data indicate that light that passes through the closed eyelids plays a critical role in the development of the image-forming visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Tiriac
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Benjamin E Smith
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
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22
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Abstract
Microglia, the primary resident immune cell type, constitute a key population of glia in the retina. Recent evidence indicates that microglia play significant functional roles in the retina at different life stages. During development, retinal microglia regulate neuronal survival by exerting trophic influences and influencing programmed cell death. During adulthood, ramified microglia in the plexiform layers interact closely with synapses to maintain synaptic structure and function that underlie the retina's electrophysiological response to light. Under pathological conditions, retinal microglia participate in potentiating neurodegeneration in diseases such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related neurodegeneration by producing proinflammatory neurotoxic cytokines and removing living neurons via phagocytosis. Modulation of pathogenic microglial activation states and effector mechanisms has been linked to neuroprotection in animal models of retinal diseases. These findings have led to the design of early proof-of-concept clinical trials with microglial modulation as a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Silverman
- Unit on Neuron-Glia Interactions in Retinal Disease, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;,
| | - Wai T. Wong
- Unit on Neuron-Glia Interactions in Retinal Disease, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA;,
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23
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Galicia CA, Sukeena JM, Stenkamp DL, Fuerst PG. Expression patterns of dscam and sdk gene paralogs in developing zebrafish retina. Mol Vis 2018; 24:443-458. [PMID: 30078982 PMCID: PMC6054835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The differential adhesion hypothesis states that a cell adhesion code provides cues that direct the specificity of nervous system development. The Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) and sidekick (SDK) proteins belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) and provide both attractive and repulsive cues that help to organize the nervous system during development, according to the differential adhesion hypothesis. The zebrafish genome is enriched in dscam and sdk genes, making the zebrafish an excellent model system to further test this hypothesis. The goal of this study is to describe the phylogenetic relationships of the paralogous CAM genes and their spatial expression and co-expression patterns in the embryonic zebrafish retina. Methods Exon-intron structures, karyotypic locations, genomic context, and amino acid sequences of the zebrafish CAM genes (dscama, dscamb, dscaml1, sdk1a, sdk1b, sdk2a, and sdk2b) were obtained from the Ensembl genome database. The Prosite and SMART programs were used to determine the number and identity of protein domains for each CAM gene. The randomized axelerated maximum likelihood (RaxML) program was used to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the zebrafish CAM genes and orthologs in other vertebrates. A synteny analysis of regions surrounding zebrafish CAM paralogs was performed. Digoxigenin (dig)-labeled cRNA probes for each CAM gene were generated to perform in situ hybridization of retinal cryosections from zebrafish embryos and larvae. Dual in situ hybridization of retinal cryosections from zebrafish larvae was performed with dig- and fluorescein-labeled cRNA probes. Results We found the studied zebrafish CAM genes encode similar protein domain structures as their corresponding orthologs in mammals and possess similar intron-exon organizations. CAM paralogs were located on different chromosomes. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses provided support for zebrafish dscam and sdk2 paralogs having originated during the teleost genome duplication. We found that dscama and dscamb are co-expressed in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and the basal portion of the inner nuclear layer (INL), with weak expression in the photoreceptor-containing outer nuclear layer (ONL). Of the dscam genes, only dscamb was strongly expressed in ONL. Sdk1a and sdk1b were co-expressed in the GCL and the basal portion of the INL. Sdk2a and sdk2b also showed co-expression in the GCL and basal portion of the INL. All Sdk genes were expressed in the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ). Dual in situ hybridizations revealed alternating patterns of co-expression and exclusive expression for the dscam and sdk1 paralogs in cells of the GCL and the INL. The same alternating pattern was observed between dscam and sdk2 paralogs and between sdk1 and sdk2 paralogs. The expression of dscaml1 was observed in the INL and the GCL, with some cells in the basal portion of the INL showing co-expression of dscaml1 and dscama. Conclusions These findings suggest that zebrafish dscam and sdk2 paralogs were likely the result of the teleost whole genome duplication and that all CAM duplicates show some differential expression patterns. We also demonstrate that the comparative expression patterns of CAM genes in the zebrafish are distinct from the exclusive expression patterns observed in chick retina, in which retinal ganglion cells express one of the four chick Dscam or Sdk genes only. The patterns in zebrafish are more similar to those of mice, in which co-expression of Dscam and Sdk genes is observed. These findings provide the groundwork for future functional analysis of the roles of the CAM paralogs in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Peter G. Fuerst
- University of Idaho, Department of Biological Sciences, Moscow, ID,University of Washington School of Medicine, WWAMI Medical Education Program, Moscow, ID
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Simmons AB, Bloomsburg SJ, Sukeena JM, Miller CJ, Ortega-Burgos Y, Borghuis BG, Fuerst PG. DSCAM-mediated control of dendritic and axonal arbor outgrowth enforces tiling and inhibits synaptic plasticity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10224-E10233. [PMID: 29114051 PMCID: PMC5703318 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1713548114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature mammalian neurons have a limited ability to extend neurites and make new synaptic connections, but the mechanisms that inhibit such plasticity remain poorly understood. Here, we report that OFF-type retinal bipolar cells in mice are an exception to this rule, as they form new anatomical connections within their tiled dendritic fields well after retinal maturity. The Down syndrome cell-adhesion molecule (Dscam) confines these anatomical rearrangements within the normal tiled fields, as conditional deletion of the gene permits extension of dendrite and axon arbors beyond these borders. Dscam deletion in the mature retina results in expanded dendritic fields and increased cone photoreceptor contacts, demonstrating that DSCAM actively inhibits circuit-level plasticity. Electrophysiological recordings from Dscam-/- OFF bipolar cells showed enlarged visual receptive fields, demonstrating that expanded dendritic territories comprise functional synapses. Our results identify cell-adhesion molecule-mediated inhibition as a regulator of circuit-level neuronal plasticity in the adult retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron B Simmons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | | | - Joshua M Sukeena
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | - Calvin J Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844
| | - Yohaniz Ortega-Burgos
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, Humacao Puerto Rico, 00792
| | - Bart G Borghuis
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202;
| | - Peter G Fuerst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844;
- Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho Medical Education Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Moscow, ID 83844
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25
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Homeostatic plasticity shapes the visual system's first synapse. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1220. [PMID: 29089553 PMCID: PMC5663853 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01332-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision in dim light depends on synapses between rods and rod bipolar cells (RBCs). Here, we find that these synapses exist in multiple configurations, in which single release sites of rods are apposed by one to three postsynaptic densities (PSDs). Single RBCs often form multiple PSDs with one rod; and neighboring RBCs share ~13% of their inputs. Rod-RBC synapses develop while ~7% of RBCs undergo programmed cell death (PCD). Although PCD is common throughout the nervous system, its influences on circuit development and function are not well understood. We generate mice in which ~53 and ~93% of RBCs, respectively, are removed during development. In these mice, dendrites of the remaining RBCs expand in graded fashion independent of light-evoked input. As RBC dendrites expand, they form fewer multi-PSD contacts with rods. Electrophysiological recordings indicate that this homeostatic co-regulation of neurite and synapse development preserves retinal function in dim light. Retinal rod bipolar cells (RBCs) partially undergo programmed cell death triggering cell density-dependent plasticity. This study shows that increased removal of RBCs using genetic approaches causes dendrites of the remaining RBCs to expand and contact more rod photoreceptors while reducing connectivity with each.
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The TRPM1 Channel Is Required for Development of the Rod ON Bipolar Cell-AII Amacrine Cell Pathway in the Retinal Circuit. J Neurosci 2017; 37:9889-9900. [PMID: 28899920 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0824-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmission plays an essential role in neural circuit formation in the central nervous system (CNS). Although neurotransmission has been recently clarified as a key modulator of retinal circuit development, the roles of individual synaptic transmissions are not yet fully understood. In the current study, we investigated the role of neurotransmission from photoreceptor cells to ON bipolar cells in development using mutant mouse lines of both sexes in which this transmission is abrogated. We found that deletion of the ON bipolar cation channel TRPM1 results in the abnormal contraction of rod bipolar terminals and a decreased number of their synaptic connections with amacrine cells. In contrast, these histological alterations were not caused by a disruption of total glutamate transmission due to loss of the ON bipolar glutamate receptor mGluR6 or the photoreceptor glutamate transporter VGluT1. In addition, TRPM1 deficiency led to the reduction of total dendritic length, branch numbers, and cell body size in AII amacrine cells. Activated Goα, known to close the TRPM1 channel, interacted with TRPM1 and induced the contraction of rod bipolar terminals. Furthermore, overexpression of Channelrhodopsin-2 partially rescued rod bipolar cell development in the TRPM1-/- retina, whereas the rescue effect by a constitutively closed form of TRPM1 was lower than that by the native form. Our results suggest that TRPM1 channel opening is essential for rod bipolar pathway establishment in development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurotransmission has been recognized recently as a key modulator of retinal circuit development in the CNS. However, the roles of individual synaptic transmissions are not yet fully understood. In the current study, we focused on neurotransmission between rod photoreceptor cells and rod bipolar cells in the retina. We used genetically modified mouse models which abrogate each step of neurotransmission: presynaptic glutamate release, postsynaptic glutamate reception, or transduction channel function. We found that the TRPM1 transduction channel is required for the development of rod bipolar cells and their synaptic formation with subsequent neurons, independently of glutamate transmission. This study advances our understanding of neurotransmission-mediated retinal circuit refinement.
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Contributions of Rod and Cone Pathways to Retinal Direction Selectivity Through Development. J Neurosci 2017; 36:9683-95. [PMID: 27629718 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3824-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Direction selectivity is a robust computation across a broad stimulus space that is mediated by activity of both rod and cone photoreceptors through the ON and OFF pathways. However, rods, S-cones, and M-cones activate the ON and OFF circuits via distinct pathways and the relative contribution of each to direction selectivity is unknown. Using a variety of stimulation paradigms, pharmacological agents, and knockout mice that lack rod transduction, we found that inputs from the ON pathway were critical for strong direction-selective (DS) tuning in the OFF pathway. For UV light stimulation, the ON pathway inputs to the OFF pathway originated with rod signaling, whereas for visible stimulation, the ON pathway inputs to the OFF pathway originated with both rod and M-cone signaling. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings revealed that blocking the ON pathway reduced directional tuning in the OFF pathway via a reduction in null-side inhibition, which is provided by OFF starburst amacrine cells (SACs). Consistent with this, our recordings from OFF SACs confirmed that signals originating in the ON pathway contribute to their excitation. Finally, we observed that, for UV stimulation, ON contributions to OFF DS tuning matured earlier than direct signaling via the OFF pathway. These data indicate that the retina uses multiple strategies for computing DS responses across different colors and stages of development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The retina uses parallel pathways to encode different features of the visual scene. In some cases, these distinct pathways converge on circuits that mediate a distinct computation. For example, rod and cone pathways enable direction-selective (DS) ganglion cells to encode motion over a wide range of light intensities. Here, we show that although direction selectivity is robust across light intensities, motion discrimination for OFF signals is dependent upon ON signaling. At eye opening, ON directional tuning is mature, whereas OFF DS tuning is significantly reduced due to a delayed maturation of S-cone to OFF cone bipolar signaling. These results provide evidence that the retina uses multiple strategies for computing DS responses across different stimulus conditions.
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28
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Zhang C, Kolodkin AL, Wong RO, James RE. Establishing Wiring Specificity in Visual System Circuits: From the Retina to the Brain. Annu Rev Neurosci 2017; 40:395-424. [PMID: 28460185 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The retina is a tremendously complex image processor, containing numerous cell types that form microcircuits encoding different aspects of the visual scene. Each microcircuit exhibits a distinct pattern of synaptic connectivity. The developmental mechanisms responsible for this patterning are just beginning to be revealed. Furthermore, signals processed by different retinal circuits are relayed to specific, often distinct, brain regions. Thus, much work has focused on understanding the mechanisms that wire retinal axonal projections to their appropriate central targets. Here, we highlight recently discovered cellular and molecular mechanisms that together shape stereotypic wiring patterns along the visual pathway, from within the retina to the brain. Although some mechanisms are common across circuits, others play unconventional and circuit-specific roles. Indeed, the highly organized connectivity of the visual system has greatly facilitated the discovery of novel mechanisms that establish precise synaptic connections within the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195; ,
| | - Alex L Kolodkin
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205; ,
| | - Rachel O Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195; ,
| | - Rebecca E James
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205; ,
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29
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Hendrickson A, Zhang C. Development of cone photoreceptors and their synapses in the human and monkey fovea. J Comp Neurol 2017; 527:38-51. [PMID: 28074469 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
During retinal development, ribbon synapse assembly in the photoreceptors is a crucial step involving numerous molecules. While the developmental sequence of plexiform layers in human retina has been characterized, the molecular steps of synaptogenesis remain largely unknown. In the present study, we focused on the central rod-free region of primate retina, the fovea, to specifically investigate the development of cone photoreceptor ribbon synapses. Immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy were utilized to track the expression of photoreceptor transduction proteins and ribbon and synaptic markers in fetal human and Macaca retina. Although the inner plexiform layer appears earlier than the outer plexiform layer, synaptic proteins, and ribbons are first reliably recognized in cone pedicles. Markers first appear at fetal week 9. Both short (S) and medium/long (M/L) wavelength-selective cones express synaptic markers in the same temporal sequence; this is independent of opsin expression which takes place in S cones a month before M/L cones. The majority of ribbon markers, presynaptic vesicular release and postsynaptic neurotransduction-related machinery is present in both plexiform layers by fetal week 13. By contrast, two crucial components for cone to bipolar cell glutamatergic transmission, the metabotropic glutamate receptor 6 and voltage-dependent calcium channel α1.4, are not detected until fetal week 22 when bipolar cell invagination is present in the cone pedicle. These results suggest an intrinsically programmed but nonsynchronous expression of molecules in cone synaptic development. Moreover, functional ribbon synapses and active neurotransmission at foveal cone pedicles are possibly present as early as mid-gestation in human retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Hendrickson
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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30
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Esposito Veneruso P, Ziccardi L, Magli G, Parisi V, Falsini B, Magli A. Early light deprivation effects on human cone-driven retinal function. Acta Ophthalmol 2017; 95:133-139. [PMID: 27535202 DOI: 10.1111/aos.13191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess whether the early light deprivation induced by congenital cataract may influence the cone-driven retinal function in humans. METHODS Forty-one patients affected by congenital cataract (CC) who had undergone uncomplicated cataract extraction surgery and intraocular lens implant, and 14 healthy subjects (HS) were enrolled. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological and orthoptic evaluations and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement; light-adapted full-field electroretinograms (ERG) and photopic negative responses (PhNR) were recorded to obtain a reliable measurement of the outer/inner retinal function and of the retinal ganglion cells' function respectively. RESULTS Mean values of light-adapted ERG a- and b-wave and PhNR amplitude of CC eyes were significantly reduced and photopic ERG b-wave implicit time mean values were significantly delayed when compared to HS ones. When studying photopic ERG mean amplitudes at 5 ms, significant differences were found when comparing CC and control eyes. In CC eyes, statistically significant correlations were found between a- and b- wave amplitudes and PhNR amplitudes. No significant correlations were found between ERG parameters and BCVA, as well as between the age of CC patients at surgery and the time elapsed from lens extraction. No significant differences were found when functional parameters of bilateral and unilateral congenital cataract (uCC) eyes were compared, however uCC eyes showed significant differences when compared with contralateral healthy eyes. CONCLUSION We found a significant impairment of cone-driven retinal responses in patients with a history of congenital cataract. These changes might result from the long-lasting effects of early light deprivation on the cone retinal pathways. Our findings support the relevance of retinal involvement in deficits induced by early light deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Benedetto Falsini
- Department of Ophthalmology; Catholic University of Rome; Rome Italy
| | - Adriano Magli
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology; University of Salerno; Salerno Italy
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31
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Thompson A, Gribizis A, Chen C, Crair MC. Activity-dependent development of visual receptive fields. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2017; 42:136-143. [PMID: 28088066 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It is widely appreciated that neuronal activity contributes to the development of brain representations of the external world. In the visual system, in particular, it is well known that activity cooperates with molecular cues to establish the topographic organization of visual maps on a macroscopic scale [1,2] (Huberman et al., 2008; Cang and Feldheim, 2013), mapping axons in a retinotopic and eye-specific manner. In recent years, significant progress has been made in elucidating the role of activity in driving the finer-scale circuit refinement that shapes the receptive fields of individual cells. In this review, we focus on these recent breakthroughs-primarily in mice, but also in other mammals where noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Thompson
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra Gribizis
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Michael C Crair
- Department of Neuroscience, Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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Abstract
Labeling fixed brain tissue with fluorescent synaptic and cellular markers can help assess circuit connectivity. Despite the diffraction-limited resolution of light microscopy there are several approaches to identify synaptic contacts onto a cell-of-interest. Understanding which image quantification methods can be applied to estimate cellular and synaptic connectivity at the light microscope level is beneficial to answer a range of questions, from mapping appositions between cellular structures or synaptic proteins to assessing synaptic contact density onto a cell-of-interest. This chapter provides the reader with details of the image analysis methods that can be applied to quantify in situ connectivity patterns at the level of cellular contacts and synaptic appositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinalini Hoon
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
| | - Raunak Sinha
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA
| | - Haruhisa Okawa
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
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33
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Thompson AD, Picard N, Min L, Fagiolini M, Chen C. Cortical Feedback Regulates Feedforward Retinogeniculate Refinement. Neuron 2016; 91:1021-1033. [PMID: 27545712 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.07.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
According to the prevailing view of neural development, sensory pathways develop sequentially in a feedforward manner, whereby each local microcircuit refines and stabilizes before directing the wiring of its downstream target. In the visual system, retinal circuits are thought to mature first and direct refinement in the thalamus, after which cortical circuits refine with experience-dependent plasticity. In contrast, we now show that feedback from cortex to thalamus critically regulates refinement of the retinogeniculate projection during a discrete window in development, beginning at postnatal day 20 in mice. Disrupting cortical activity during this window, pharmacologically or chemogenetically, increases the number of retinal ganglion cells innervating each thalamic relay neuron. These results suggest that primary sensory structures develop through the concurrent and interdependent remodeling of subcortical and cortical circuits in response to sensory experience, rather than through a simple feedforward process. Our findings also highlight an unexpected function for the corticothalamic projection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Thompson
- BBS Program, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nathalie Picard
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lia Min
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michela Fagiolini
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Tummala SR, Dhingra A, Fina ME, Li JJ, Ramakrishnan H, Vardi N. Lack of mGluR6-related cascade elements leads to retrograde trans-synaptic effects on rod photoreceptor synapses via matrix-associated proteins. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 43:1509-22. [PMID: 27037829 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Heterotrimeric G-proteins couple metabotropic receptors to downstream effectors. In retinal ON bipolar cells, Go couples the metabotropic receptor mGluR6 to the TRPM1 channel and closes it in the dark, thus hyperpolarizing the cell. Light, via GTPase-activating proteins, deactivates Go , opens TRPM1 and depolarizes the cell. Go comprises Gαo1 , Gβ3 and Gγ13; all are necessary for efficient coupling. In addition, Gβ3 contributes to trafficking of certain cascade proteins and to maintaining the synaptic structure. The goal of this study was to determine the role of Gαo1 in maintaining the cascade and synaptic integrity. Using mice lacking Gαo1 , we quantified the immunostaining of certain mGluR6-related components. Deleting Gαo1 greatly reduced staining for Gβ3, Gγ13, Gβ5, RGS11, RGS7 and R9AP. Deletion of Gαo1 did not affect mGluR6, TRPM1 or PCP2. In addition, deleting Gαo1 reduced the number of rod bipolar dendrites that invaginate the rod terminal, similar to the effect seen in the absence of mGluR6, Gβ3 or the matrix-associated proteins, pikachurin, dystroglycan and dystrophin, which are localized presynaptically to the rod bipolar cell. We therefore tested mice lacking mGluR6, Gαo1 and Gβ3 for expression of these matrix-associated proteins. In all three genotypes, staining intensity for these proteins was lower than in wild type, suggesting a retrograde trans-synaptic effect. We propose that the mGluR6 macromolecular complex is connected to the presynaptic rod terminal via a protein chain that includes the matrix-associated proteins. When a component of the macromolecular chain is missing, the chain may fall apart and loosen the dendritic tip adherence within the invagination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanti R Tummala
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Anuradha Dhingra
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Marie E Fina
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jian J Li
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Noga Vardi
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Bos R, Gainer C, Feller MB. Role for Visual Experience in the Development of Direction-Selective Circuits. Curr Biol 2016; 26:1367-75. [PMID: 27161499 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.03.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Visually guided behavior can depend critically on detecting the direction of object movement. This computation is first performed in the retina where direction is encoded by direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) that respond strongly to an object moving in the preferred direction and weakly to an object moving in the opposite, or null, direction (reviewed in [1]). DSGCs come in multiple types that are classified based on their morphologies, response properties, and targets in the brain. This study focuses on two types-ON and ON-OFF DSGCs. Though animals can sense motion in all directions, the preferred directions of DSGCs in adult retina cluster along distinct directions that we refer to as the cardinal axes. ON DSGCs have three cardinal axes-temporal, ventral, and dorsonasal-while ON-OFF DSGCs have four-nasal, temporal, dorsal, and ventral. How these preferred directions emerge during development is still not understood. Several studies have demonstrated that ON [2] and ON-OFF DSGCs are well tuned at eye-opening, and even a few days prior to eye-opening, in rabbits [3], rats [4], and mice [5-8], suggesting that visual experience is not required to produce direction-selective tuning. However, here we show that at eye-opening the preferred directions of both ON and ON-OFF DSGCs are diffusely distributed and that visual deprivation prevents the preferred directions from clustering along the cardinal axes. Our findings indicate a critical role for visual experience in shaping responses in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Bos
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Christian Gainer
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA.
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36
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Tu HY, Chiao CC. Cx36 expression in the AII-mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina. Dev Neurobiol 2016; 76:473-86. [PMID: 26084632 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Gap junctions are composed of connexin 36 (Cx36) and play a critical role in the rod photoreceptor signaling pathways of the vertebrate retina. Despite the fact that their connection and modulation in various rod pathways have been extensively studied in adult animals, little is known about the contribution and regulation of gap junctions to the development of the AII amacrine cell (AC)-mediated rod pathway. Using immunohistochemistry and microinjection, this study demonstrates a steady increase in relative Cx36 protein expression in both plexiform layers of the rabbit retina at around the time of eye opening. However, immediately after eye opening, most Cx36 immunoreactive AII ACs show no gap junction coupling pattern to neighboring cells and it is not until the third postnatal week that AII cells begin to exhibit an adult-like tracer-coupling pattern. Moreover, studies using dark-rearing and AMPA receptor blockade during postnatal development both revealed that relative levels of Cx36 immunoreactivity in AII ACs were increased when neural activity was inhibited. Our findings suggest that Cx36 expression in the AII-mediated rod pathway is activity dependent in the developing rabbit retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Ya Tu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Chin Chiao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
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37
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Soto F, Kerschensteiner D. Synaptic remodeling of neuronal circuits in early retinal degeneration. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:395. [PMID: 26500497 PMCID: PMC4595653 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Photoreceptor degenerations are a major cause of blindness and among the most common forms of neurodegeneration in humans. Studies of mouse models revealed that synaptic dysfunction often precedes photoreceptor degeneration, and that abnormal synaptic input from photoreceptors to bipolar cells causes circuits in the inner retina to become hyperactive. Here, we provide a brief overview of frequently used mouse models of photoreceptor degenerations. We then discuss insights into circuit remodeling triggered by early synaptic dysfunction in the outer and hyperactivity in the inner retina. We discuss these insights in the context of other experimental manipulations of synaptic function and activity. Knowledge of the plasticity and early remodeling of retinal circuits will be critical for the design of successful vision rescue strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florentina Soto
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA ; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA ; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA ; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
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38
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Neurotransmission plays contrasting roles in the maturation of inhibitory synapses on axons and dendrites of retinal bipolar cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:12840-5. [PMID: 26420868 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1510483112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal output is modulated by inhibition onto both dendrites and axons. It is unknown whether inhibitory synapses at these two cellular compartments of an individual neuron are regulated coordinately or separately during in vivo development. Because neurotransmission influences synapse maturation and circuit development, we determined how loss of inhibition affects the expression of diverse types of inhibitory receptors on the axon and dendrites of mouse retinal bipolar cells. We found that axonal GABA but not glycine receptor expression depends on neurotransmission. Importantly, axonal and dendritic GABAA receptors comprise distinct subunit compositions that are regulated differentially by GABA release: Axonal GABAA receptors are down-regulated but dendritic receptors are up-regulated in the absence of inhibition. The homeostatic increase in GABAA receptors on bipolar cell dendrites is pathway-specific: Cone but not rod bipolar cell dendrites maintain an up-regulation of receptors in the transmission deficient mutants. Furthermore, the bipolar cell GABAA receptor alterations are a consequence of impaired vesicular GABA release from amacrine but not horizontal interneurons. Thus, inhibitory neurotransmission regulates in vivo postsynaptic maturation of inhibitory synapses with contrasting modes of action specific to synapse type and location.
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Cao Y, Sarria I, Fehlhaber KE, Kamasawa N, Orlandi C, James KN, Hazen JL, Gardner MR, Farzan M, Lee A, Baker S, Baldwin K, Sampath AP, Martemyanov KA. Mechanism for Selective Synaptic Wiring of Rod Photoreceptors into the Retinal Circuitry and Its Role in Vision. Neuron 2015; 87:1248-1260. [PMID: 26402607 PMCID: PMC4583715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In the retina, rod and cone photoreceptors form distinct connections with different classes of downstream bipolar cells. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for their selective connectivity are unknown. Here we identify a cell-adhesion protein, ELFN1, to be essential for the formation of synapses between rods and rod ON-bipolar cells in the primary rod pathway. ELFN1 is expressed selectively in rods where it is targeted to the axonal terminals by the synaptic release machinery. At the synapse, ELFN1 binds in trans to mGluR6, the postsynaptic receptor on rod ON-bipolar cells. Elimination of ELFN1 in mice prevents the formation of synaptic contacts involving rods, but not cones, allowing a dissection of the contributions of primary and secondary rod pathways to retinal circuit function and vision. We conclude that ELFN1 is necessary for the selective wiring of rods into the primary rod pathway and is required for high sensitivity of vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Cao
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ignacio Sarria
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Katherine E Fehlhaber
- Jules Stein Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Naomi Kamasawa
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Max Planck Florida Institute, 1 Max Planck Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Cesare Orlandi
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Kiely N James
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92121, USA
| | - Jennifer L Hazen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92121, USA
| | - Matthew R Gardner
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Michael Farzan
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Amy Lee
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Sheila Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, 51 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kristin Baldwin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92121, USA
| | - Alapakkam P Sampath
- Jules Stein Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Los Angeles, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kirill A Martemyanov
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA.
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Scalabrino ML, Boye SL, Fransen KMH, Noel JM, Dyka FM, Min SH, Ruan Q, De Leeuw CN, Simpson EM, Gregg RG, McCall MA, Peachey NS, Boye SE. Intravitreal delivery of a novel AAV vector targets ON bipolar cells and restores visual function in a mouse model of complete congenital stationary night blindness. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:6229-39. [PMID: 26310623 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) effectively targets therapeutic genes to photoreceptors, pigment epithelia, Müller glia and ganglion cells of the retina. To date, no one has shown the ability to correct, with gene replacement, an inherent defect in bipolar cells (BCs), the excitatory interneurons of the retina. Targeting BCs with gene replacement has been difficult primarily due to the relative inaccessibility of BCs to standard AAV vectors. This approach would be useful for restoration of vision in patients with complete congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB1), where signaling through the ON BCs is eliminated due to mutations in their G-protein-coupled cascade genes. For example, the majority of CSNB1 patients carry a mutation in nyctalopin (NYX), which encodes a protein essential for proper localization of the TRPM1 cation channel required for ON BC light-evoked depolarization. As a group, CSNB1 patients have a normal electroretinogram (ERG) a-wave, indicative of photoreceptor function, but lack a b-wave due to defects in ON BC signaling. Despite retinal dysfunction, the retinas of CSNB1 patients do not degenerate. The Nyx(nob) mouse model of CSNB1 faithfully mimics this phenotype. Here, we show that intravitreally injected, rationally designed AAV2(quadY-F+T-V) containing a novel 'Ple155' promoter drives either GFP or YFP_Nyx in postnatal Nyx(nob) mice. In treated Nyx(nob) retina, robust and targeted Nyx transgene expression in ON BCs partially restored the ERG b-wave and, at the cellular level, signaling in ON BCs. Our results support the potential for gene delivery to BCs and gene replacement therapy in human CSNB1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Charles N De Leeuw
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Elizabeth M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Ronald G Gregg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Maureen A McCall
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology and
| | - Neal S Peachey
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA and Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Shannon E Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology and, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA,
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Mendelsohn AI, Simon CM, Abbott LF, Mentis GZ, Jessell TM. Activity Regulates the Incidence of Heteronymous Sensory-Motor Connections. Neuron 2015; 87:111-23. [PMID: 26094608 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The construction of spinal sensory-motor circuits involves the selection of appropriate synaptic partners and the allocation of precise synaptic input densities. Many aspects of spinal sensory-motor selectivity appear to be preserved when peripheral sensory activation is blocked, which has led to a view that sensory-motor circuits are assembled in an activity-independent manner. Yet it remains unclear whether activity-dependent refinement has a role in the establishment of connections between sensory afferents and those motor pools that have synergistic biomechanical functions. We show here that genetically abolishing central sensory-motor neurotransmission leads to a selective enhancement in the number and density of such "heteronymous" connections, whereas other aspects of sensory-motor connectivity are preserved. Spike-timing-dependent synaptic refinement represents one possible mechanism for the changes in connectivity observed after activity blockade. Our findings therefore reveal that sensory activity does have a limited and selective role in the establishment of patterned monosynaptic sensory-motor connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana I Mendelsohn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Departments of Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christian M Simon
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - L F Abbott
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Departments of Physiology and Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - George Z Mentis
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Thomas M Jessell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kavli Institute for Brain Science, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Departments of Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Photoreceptor ablation initiates the immediate loss of glutamate receptors in postsynaptic bipolar cells in retina. J Neurosci 2015; 35:2423-31. [PMID: 25673837 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4284-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural changes underlying neurodegenerative diseases include dismantling of synapses, degradation of circuitry, and even massive rewiring. Our limited understanding of synapse dismantling stems from the inability to control the timing and extent of cell death. In this study, selective ablation of cone photoreceptors in live mouse retina and tracking of postsynaptic partners at the cone-to-ON cone bipolar cell synapse reveals that early reaction to cone loss involves rapid and local changes in postsynaptic glutamate receptor distribution. Glutamate receptors disappear with a time constant of 2 h. Furthermore, binding of glutamate receptors by agonists and antagonists is insufficient to rescue glutamate receptor loss, suggesting that receptor allocation depends on the physical presence of cones. These findings demonstrate that the initial step in synapse disassembly involves postsynaptic receptor loss rather than dendritic retraction, providing insight into the early stages of neurodegenerative disease.
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De Marco García NV, Priya R, Tuncdemir SN, Fishell G, Karayannis T. Sensory inputs control the integration of neurogliaform interneurons into cortical circuits. Nat Neurosci 2015; 18:393-401. [PMID: 25664912 PMCID: PMC4624196 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal microcircuits in the superficial layers of the mammalian cortex provide the substrate for associative cortical computation. Inhibitory interneurons constitute an essential component of the circuitry and are fundamental to the integration of local and long-range information. Here we report that, during early development, superficially positioned Reelin-expressing neurogliaform interneurons in the mouse somatosensory cortex receive afferent innervation from both cortical and thalamic excitatory sources. Attenuation of ascending sensory, but not intracortical, excitation leads to axo-dendritic morphological defects in these interneurons. Moreover, abrogation of the NMDA receptors through which the thalamic inputs signal results in a similar phenotype, as well as in the selective loss of thalamic and a concomitant increase in intracortical connectivity. These results suggest that thalamic inputs are critical in determining the balance between local and long-range connectivity and are fundamental to the proper integration of Reelin-expressing interneurons into nascent cortical circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V De Marco García
- 1] NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [2] Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [3] Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rashi Priya
- 1] NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [2] Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [3] Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sebnem N Tuncdemir
- 1] NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [2] Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [3] Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gord Fishell
- 1] NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [2] Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [3] Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Theofanis Karayannis
- 1] NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [2] Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. [3] Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
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Abstract
Across the nervous system, neurons form highly stereotypic patterns of synaptic connections that are designed to serve specific functions. Mature wiring patterns are often attained upon the refinement of early, less precise connectivity. Much work has led to the prevailing view that many developing circuits are sculpted by activity-dependent competition among converging afferents, which results in the elimination of unwanted synapses and the maintenance and strengthening of desired connections. Studies of the vertebrate retina, however, have recently revealed that activity can play a role in shaping developing circuits without engaging competition among converging inputs that differ in their activity levels. Such neurotransmission-mediated processes can produce stereotypic wiring patterns by promoting selective synapse formation rather than elimination. We discuss how the influence of transmission may also be limited by circuit design and further highlight the importance of transmission beyond development in maintaining wiring specificity and synaptic organization of neural circuits.
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Xue Y, Shen SQ, Jui J, Rupp AC, Byrne LC, Hattar S, Flannery JG, Corbo JC, Kefalov VJ. CRALBP supports the mammalian retinal visual cycle and cone vision. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:727-38. [PMID: 25607845 DOI: 10.1172/jci79651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP, encoded by RLBP1) can lead to severe cone photoreceptor-mediated vision loss in patients. It is not known how CRALBP supports cone function or how altered CRALBP leads to cone dysfunction. Here, we determined that deletion of Rlbp1 in mice impairs the retinal visual cycle. Mice lacking CRALBP exhibited M-opsin mislocalization, M-cone loss, and impaired cone-driven visual behavior and light responses. Additionally, M-cone dark adaptation was largely suppressed in CRALBP-deficient animals. While rearing CRALBP-deficient mice in the dark prevented the deterioration of cone function, it did not rescue cone dark adaptation. Adeno-associated virus-mediated restoration of CRALBP expression specifically in Müller cells, but not retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, rescued the retinal visual cycle and M-cone sensitivity in knockout mice. Our results identify Müller cell CRALBP as a key component of the retinal visual cycle and demonstrate that this pathway is important for maintaining normal cone-driven vision and accelerating cone dark adaptation.
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Rosa JM, Feller MB. Neurodevelopment: a novel role for activity in shaping retinal circuits. Curr Biol 2014; 24:R964-6. [PMID: 25291639 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The number of synaptic inputs onto retinal bipolar cells is influenced by transmitter release from neighboring bipolar cells, implicating a new form of population-based retrograde plasticity in the development of these neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Rosa
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
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D'Orazi FD, Suzuki SC, Wong RO. Neuronal remodeling in retinal circuit assembly, disassembly, and reassembly. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:594-603. [PMID: 25156327 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Revised: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Developing neuronal circuits often undergo a period of refinement to eliminate aberrant synaptic connections. Inappropriate connections can also form among surviving neurons during neuronal degeneration. The laminar organization of the vertebrate retina enables synaptic reorganization to be readily identified. Synaptic rearrangements are shown to help sculpt developing retinal circuits, although the mechanisms involved remain debated. Structural changes in retinal diseases can also lead to functional rewiring. This poses a major challenge to retinal repair because it may be necessary to untangle the miswired connections before reconnecting with proper synaptic partners. Here, we review our current understanding of the mechanisms that underlie circuit remodeling during retinal development, and discuss how alterations in connectivity during damage could impede circuit repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence D D'Orazi
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Sachihiro C Suzuki
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rachel O Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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Andreae LC, Burrone J. The role of neuronal activity and transmitter release on synapse formation. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2014; 27:47-52. [PMID: 24632375 PMCID: PMC4127784 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 01/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The long history of probing the role of neuronal activity in the development of nervous system circuitry has recently taken an interesting turn. Although undoubtedly activity plays a critical part in the maintenance and refinement of synaptic connections, often via competitive mechanisms, evidence is building that it also drives the process of synapse formation itself. Perhaps predictably, this turns out not to be a uniform process. It seems that different circuits, indeed specific synaptic connections, are differentially sensitive to the effects of activity. We examine possible ways in which neurotransmitter may drive synapse formation, and speculate on how the environment of the developing brain may allow a different spatiotemporal range for neuronal activity to operate in the generation of connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Andreae
- MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, New Hunt's House, 4th Floor, Guy's Hospital Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
| | - Juan Burrone
- MRC Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, New Hunt's House, 4th Floor, Guy's Hospital Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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Hoon M, Okawa H, Della Santina L, Wong ROL. Functional architecture of the retina: development and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2014; 42:44-84. [PMID: 24984227 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2014.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 337] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 06/08/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Structure and function are highly correlated in the vertebrate retina, a sensory tissue that is organized into cell layers with microcircuits working in parallel and together to encode visual information. All vertebrate retinas share a fundamental plan, comprising five major neuronal cell classes with cell body distributions and connectivity arranged in stereotypic patterns. Conserved features in retinal design have enabled detailed analysis and comparisons of structure, connectivity and function across species. Each species, however, can adopt structural and/or functional retinal specializations, implementing variations to the basic design in order to satisfy unique requirements in visual function. Recent advances in molecular tools, imaging and electrophysiological approaches have greatly facilitated identification of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that establish the fundamental organization of the retina and the specializations of its microcircuits during development. Here, we review advances in our understanding of how these mechanisms act to shape structure and function at the single cell level, to coordinate the assembly of cell populations, and to define their specific circuitry. We also highlight how structure is rearranged and function is disrupted in disease, and discuss current approaches to re-establish the intricate functional architecture of the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinalini Hoon
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Haruhisa Okawa
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Luca Della Santina
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Rachel O L Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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