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Merkulyeva N, Mikhalkin A, Veshchitskii A. Inner Structure of the Lateral Geniculate Complex of Adult and Newborn Acomys cahirinus. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7855. [PMID: 39063096 PMCID: PMC11277159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147855] [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: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Acomys cahirinus is a unique Rodentia species with several distinctive physiological traits, such as precocial development and remarkable regenerative abilities. These characteristics render A. cahirinus increasingly valuable for regenerative and developmental physiology studies. Despite this, the structure and postnatal development of the central nervous system in A. cahirinus have been inadequately explored, with only sporadic data available. This study is the first in a series of papers addressing these gaps. Our first objective was to characterize the structure of the main visual thalamic region, the lateral geniculate complex, using several neuronal markers (including Ca2+-binding proteins, glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme, and non-phosphorylated domains of heavy-chain neurofilaments) to label populations of principal neurons and interneurons in adult and newborn A. cahirinus. As typically found in other rodents, we identified three subdivisions in the geniculate complex: the dorsal and ventral lateral geniculate nuclei (LGNd and LGNv) and the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). Additionally, we characterized internal diversity in the LGN nuclei. The "shell" and "core" regions of the LGNd were identified using calretinin in adults and newborns. In adults, the inner and outer parts of the LGNv were identified using calbindin, calretinin, parvalbumin, GAD67, and SMI-32, whereas in newborns, calretinin and SMI-32 were employed for this purpose. Our findings revealed more pronounced developmental changes in LGNd compared to LGNv and IGL, suggesting that LGNd is less mature at birth and more influenced by visual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Merkulyeva
- Neuromorphology Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; (A.M.); (A.V.)
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Masterson SP, Govindaiah G, Guido W, Bickford ME. Cell-type specific binocular interactions in mouse visual thalamus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.12.603141. [PMID: 39071360 PMCID: PMC11275773 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.12.603141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Projections from each eye are segregated in separate domains within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Yet, in vivo studies indicate that the activity of single dLGN neurons can be influenced by visual stimuli presented to either eye. In this study we explored whether intrinsic circuits mediate binocular interactions in the mouse dLGN. We employed dual color optogenetics in vitro to selectively activate input from each eye and recorded synaptic responses in thalamocortical (relay) cells as well as inhibitory interneurons, which have extensive dendritic arbors that are not confined to eye specific domains. While most relay cells received monocular retinal input, most interneurons received binocular retinal input; consequently, the majority of dLGN relay cells received binocular retinogeniculate-evoked inhibition. Moreover, in recordings from adjacent pairs of relay cells and interneurons, the most common relationship observed was binocular excitation of interneurons paired with binocular inhibition of adjacent relay cells. Finally, we found that dLGN interneurons are interconnected, displaying both monocular and binocular inhibition in response to retinal activation. In sum, our results indicate that geniculate interneurons provide one of the first locations where signals from the two eyes can be compared, integrated, and adjusted before being transmitted to cortex, shedding new light on the role of the thalamus in binocular vision. Highlights In vitro dual color optogenetics examined convergence of eye-specific retinal inputs to thalamocortical (relay) cells and interneurons in the dLGNThe majority of relay cells receive monocular excitatory retinogeniculate input while the majority of interneurons receive binocular inputBinocular relay cells are located in and around the ipsilateral patch whereas binocular interneurons are distributed throughout the dLGNThe majority of relay cells receive binocular retinogeniculate-evoked inhibitiondLGN interneurons are interconnected, receiving both monocular and binocular retinogeniculate-evoked inhibition.
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Takahata T. Development of ocular dominance columns across rodents and other species: revisiting the concept of critical period plasticity. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1402700. [PMID: 39036421 PMCID: PMC11258045 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1402700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The existence of cortical columns, regarded as computational units underlying both lower and higher-order information processing, has long been associated with highly evolved brains, and previous studies suggested their absence in rodents. However, recent discoveries have unveiled the presence of ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in the primary visual cortex (V1) of Long-Evans rats. These domains exhibit continuity from layer 2 through layer 6, confirming their identity as genuine ODCs. Notably, ODCs are also observed in Brown Norway rats, a strain closely related to wild rats, suggesting the physiological relevance of ODCs in natural survival contexts, although they are lacking in albino rats. This discovery has enabled researchers to explore the development and plasticity of cortical columns using a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging studies involving hundreds of individuals-an endeavor challenging in carnivore and primate species. Notably, developmental trajectories differ depending on the aspect under examination: while the distribution of geniculo-cortical afferent terminals indicates matured ODCs even before eye-opening, consistent with prevailing theories in carnivore/primate studies, examination of cortical neuron spiking activities reveals immature ODCs until postnatal day 35, suggesting delayed maturation of functional synapses which is dependent on visual experience. This developmental gap might be recognized as 'critical period' for ocular dominance plasticity in previous studies. In this article, I summarize cross-species differences in ODCs and geniculo-cortical network, followed by a discussion on the development, plasticity, and evolutionary significance of rat ODCs. I discuss classical and recent studies on critical period plasticity in the venue where critical period plasticity might be a component of experience-dependent development. Consequently, this series of studies prompts a paradigm shift in our understanding of species conservation of cortical columns and the nature of plasticity during the classical critical period.
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Van Hook MJ, McCool S. Enhanced Synaptic Inhibition in the Dorsolateral Geniculate Nucleus in a Mouse Model of Glaucoma. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0263-24.2024. [PMID: 38937109 PMCID: PMC11242868 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0263-24.2024] [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: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) triggers glaucoma by damaging the output neurons of the retina called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This leads to the loss of RGC signaling to visual centers of the brain such as the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), which is critical for processing and relaying information to the cortex for conscious vision. In response to altered levels of activity or synaptic input, neurons can homeostatically modulate postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor numbers, allowing them to scale their synaptic responses to stabilize spike output. While prior work has indicated unaltered glutamate receptor properties in the glaucomatous dLGN, it is unknown whether glaucoma impacts dLGN inhibition. Here, using DBA/2J mice, which develop elevated IOP beginning at 6-7 months of age, we tested whether the strength of inhibitory synapses on dLGN thalamocortical relay neurons is altered in response to the disease state. We found an enhancement of feedforward disynaptic inhibition arising from local interneurons along with increased amplitude of quantal inhibitory synaptic currents. A combination of immunofluorescence staining for the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A-α1 receptor subunit, peak-scaled nonstationary fluctuation analysis, and measures of homeostatic synaptic scaling pointed to an ∼1.4-fold increase in GABA receptors at postsynaptic inhibitory synapses, although several pieces of evidence indicate a nonuniform scaling across inhibitory synapses within individual relay neurons. Together, these results indicate an increase in inhibitory synaptic strength in the glaucomatous dLGN, potentially pointing toward homeostatic compensation for disruptions in network and neuronal function triggered by increased IOP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198
- Departments of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198
| | - Shaylah McCool
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198
- Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198
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Mehta K, Daghsni M, Raeisossadati R, Xu Z, Davis E, Naidich A, Wang B, Tao S, Pi S, Chen W, Kostka D, Liu S, Gross JM, Kuwajima T, Aldiri I. A cis-regulatory module underlies retinal ganglion cell genesis and axonogenesis. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114291. [PMID: 38823017 PMCID: PMC11238474 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114291] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Atoh7 is transiently expressed in retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and is required for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. In humans, a deletion in a distal non-coding regulatory region upstream of ATOH7 is associated with optic nerve atrophy and blindness. Here, we functionally interrogate the significance of the Atoh7 regulatory landscape to retinogenesis in mice. Deletion of the Atoh7 enhancer structure leads to RGC deficiency, optic nerve hypoplasia, and retinal blood vascular abnormalities, phenocopying inactivation of Atoh7. Further, loss of the Atoh7 remote enhancer impacts ipsilaterally projecting RGCs and disrupts proper axonal projections to the visual thalamus. Deletion of the Atoh7 remote enhancer is also associated with the dysregulation of axonogenesis genes, including the derepression of the axon repulsive cue Robo3. Our data provide insights into how Atoh7 enhancer elements function to promote RGC development and optic nerve formation and highlight a key role of Atoh7 in the transcriptional control of axon guidance molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamakshi Mehta
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Marwa Daghsni
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Reza Raeisossadati
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Zhongli Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Emily Davis
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Abigail Naidich
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Bingjie Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Shiyue Tao
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Shaohua Pi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Dennis Kostka
- Department of Computational & Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Silvia Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Gross
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Takaaki Kuwajima
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Issam Aldiri
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Computational & Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Vazquez-Sanchez S, Tilkin B, Gasset-Rosa F, Zhang S, Piol D, McAlonis-Downes M, Artates J, Govea-Perez N, Verresen Y, Guo L, Cleveland DW, Shorter J, Da Cruz S. Frontotemporal dementia-like disease progression elicited by seeded aggregation and spread of FUS. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:46. [PMID: 38862967 PMCID: PMC11165889 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00737-5] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA binding proteins have emerged as central players in the mechanisms of many neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, a proteinopathy of fused in sarcoma (FUS) is present in some instances of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and about 10% of sporadic Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Here we establish that focal injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils into brains of mice in which ALS-linked mutant or wild-type human FUS replaces endogenous mouse FUS is sufficient to induce focal cytoplasmic mislocalization and aggregation of mutant and wild-type FUS which with time spreads to distal regions of the brain. Human FUS fibril-induced FUS aggregation in the mouse brain of humanized FUS mice is accelerated by an ALS-causing FUS mutant relative to wild-type human FUS. Injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils does not induce FUS aggregation and subsequent spreading after injection into naïve mouse brains containing only mouse FUS, indicating a species barrier to human FUS aggregation and its prion-like spread. Fibril-induced human FUS aggregates recapitulate pathological features of FTLD including increased detergent insolubility of FUS and TAF15 and amyloid-like, cytoplasmic deposits of FUS that accumulate ubiquitin and p62, but not TDP-43. Finally, injection of sonicated FUS fibrils is shown to exacerbate age-dependent cognitive and behavioral deficits from mutant human FUS expression. Thus, focal seeded aggregation of FUS and further propagation through prion-like spread elicits FUS-proteinopathy and FTLD-like disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Vazquez-Sanchez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Britt Tilkin
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Fatima Gasset-Rosa
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Present Address: Vividion Therapeutics, 5820 Nancy Ridge Dr, San Diego, 92121, USA
| | - Sitao Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Diana Piol
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Melissa McAlonis-Downes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jonathan Artates
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Noe Govea-Perez
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yana Verresen
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Lin Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6059, USA
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research and Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
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Griffith EY, ElSayed M, Dura-Bernal S, Neymotin SA, Uhlrich DJ, Lytton WW, Zhu JJ. Mechanism of an Intrinsic Oscillation in Rat Geniculate Interneurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597830. [PMID: 38895250 PMCID: PMC11185623 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Depolarizing current injections produced a rhythmic bursting of action potentials - a bursting oscillation - in a set of local interneurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of rats. The current dynamics underlying this firing pattern have not been determined, though this cell type constitutes an important cellular component of thalamocortical circuitry, and contributes to both pathologic and non-pathologic brain states. We thus investigated the source of the bursting oscillation using pharmacological manipulations in LGN slices in vitro and in silico. 1. Selective blockade of calcium channel subtypes revealed that high-threshold calcium currentsI L andI P contributed strongly to the oscillation. 2. Increased extracellular K+ concentration (decreased K+currents) eliminated the oscillation. 3. Selective blockade of K+ channel subtypes demonstrated that the calcium-sensitive potassium current (I A H P ) was of primary importance. A morphologically simplified, multicompartment model of the thalamic interneuron characterized the oscillation as follows: 1. The low-threshold calcium currentI T provided the strong initial burst characteristic of the oscillation. 2. Alternating fluxes through high-threshold calcium channels andI A H P then provided the continuing oscillation's burst and interburst periods respectively. This interplay betweenI L andI A H P contrasts with the current dynamics underlying oscillations in thalamocortical and reticularis neurons, which primarily involveI T andI H , orI T andI A H P respectively. These findings thus point to a novel electrophysiological mechanism for generating intrinsic oscillations in a major thalamic cell type. Because local interneurons can sculpt the behavior of thalamocortical circuits, these results suggest new targets for the manipulation of ascending thalamocortical network activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Y Griffith
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY
| | - Mohamed ElSayed
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, SUNY Downstate School of Graduate Studies, Brooklyn, NY
- Department of Psychiatry, New Hampshire Hospital, Concord, NH
| | - Salvador Dura-Bernal
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Samuel A Neymotin
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Daniel J Uhlrich
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - William W Lytton
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
- Department of Neurology, Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
| | - J Julius Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
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8
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Vazquez-Sanchez S, Tilkin B, Gasset-Rosa F, Zhang S, Piol D, McAlonis-Downes M, Artates J, Govea-Perez N, Verresen Y, Guo L, Cleveland DW, Shorter J, Da Cruz S. Frontotemporal dementia-like disease progression elicited by seeded aggregation and spread of FUS. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.03.593639. [PMID: 38895337 PMCID: PMC11185515 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.03.593639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
RNA binding proteins have emerged as central players in the mechanisms of many neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, a proteinopathy of fu sed in s arcoma (FUS) is present in some instances of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and about 10% of sporadic FTLD. Here we establish that focal injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils into brains of mice in which ALS-linked mutant or wild-type human FUS replaces endogenous mouse FUS is sufficient to induce focal cytoplasmic mislocalization and aggregation of mutant and wild-type FUS which with time spreads to distal regions of the brain. Human FUS fibril-induced FUS aggregation in the mouse brain of humanized FUS mice is accelerated by an ALS-causing FUS mutant relative to wild-type human FUS. Injection of sonicated human FUS fibrils does not induce FUS aggregation and subsequent spreading after injection into naïve mouse brains containing only mouse FUS, indicating a species barrier to human FUS aggregation and its prion-like spread. Fibril-induced human FUS aggregates recapitulate pathological features of FTLD including increased detergent insolubility of FUS and TAF15 and amyloid-like, cytoplasmic deposits of FUS that accumulate ubiquitin and p62, but not TDP-43. Finally, injection of sonicated FUS fibrils is shown to exacerbate age-dependent cognitive and behavioral deficits from mutant human FUS expression. Thus, focal seeded aggregation of FUS and further propagation through prion-like spread elicits FUS-proteinopathy and FTLD-like disease progression.
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9
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Van Hook MJ, McCool S. Nonuniform scaling of synaptic inhibition in the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus in a mouse model of glaucoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.27.587036. [PMID: 38586044 PMCID: PMC10996666 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.587036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) triggers glaucoma by damaging the output neurons of the retina called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). This leads to the loss of RGC signaling to visual centers of the brain such as the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), which is critical for processing and relaying information to the cortex for conscious vision. In response to altered levels of activity or synaptic input, neurons can homeostatically modulate postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor numbers, allowing them to scale their synaptic responses to stabilize spike output. While prior work has indicated unaltered glutamate receptor properties in the glaucomatous dLGN, it is unknown whether glaucoma impacts dLGN inhibition. Here, using DBA/2J mice, which develop elevated IOP beginning at 6-7 months of age, we tested whether the strength of inhibitory synapses on dLGN thalamocortical relay neurons is altered in response to the disease state. We found an enhancement of feed-forward disynaptic inhibition arising from local interneurons along with increased amplitude of quantal inhibitory synaptic currents. A combination of immunofluorescence staining for the GABA A -α1 receptor subunit, peak-scaled nonstationary fluctuation analysis, and measures of homeostatic synaptic scaling indicated this was the result of an approximately 1.4-fold increase in GABA receptor number at post-synaptic inhibitory synapses, although several pieces of evidence strongly indicate a non-uniform scaling across inhibitory synapses within individual relay neurons. Together, these results indicate an increase in inhibitory synaptic strength in the glaucomatous dLGN, potentially pointing toward homeostatic compensation for disruptions in network and neuronal function triggered by increased IOP. Significance Statement Elevated eye pressure in glaucoma leads to loss of retinal outputs to the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), which is critical for relaying information to the cortex for conscious vision. Alterations in neuronal activity, as could arise from excitatory synapse loss, can trigger homeostatic adaptations to synaptic function that attempt to maintain activity within a meaningful dynamic range, although whether this occurs uniformly at all synapses within a given neuron or is a non-uniform process is debated. Here, using a mouse model of glaucoma, we show that dLGN inhibitory synapses undergo non-uniform upregulation due to addition of post-synaptic GABA receptors. This is likely to be a neuronal adaptation to glaucomatous pathology in an important sub-cortical visual center.
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10
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Kerschensteiner D, Feller MB. Mapping the Retina onto the Brain. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041512. [PMID: 38052498 PMCID: PMC10835620 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041512] [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: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Vision begins in the retina, which extracts salient features from the environment and encodes them in the spike trains of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the eye. RGC axons innervate diverse brain areas (>50 in mice) to support perception, guide behavior, and mediate influences of light on physiology and internal states. In recent years, complete lists of RGC types (∼45 in mice) have been compiled, detailed maps of their dendritic connections drawn, and their light responses surveyed at scale. We know less about the RGCs' axonal projection patterns, which map retinal information onto the brain. However, some organizing principles have emerged. Here, we review the strategies and mechanisms that govern developing RGC axons and organize their innervation of retinorecipient brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
- Department of Neuroscience
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Marla B Feller
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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11
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Li H, Zhou Q, Chen Y, Hu H, Gao L, Takahata T. Three-dimensional topography of eye-specific domains in the lateral geniculate nucleus of pigmented and albino rats. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9599-9615. [PMID: 37415460 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad229] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously revealed the presence of ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in the primary visual cortex (V1) of pigmented rats. On the other hand, previous studies have shown that the ipsilateral-eye domains of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are segregated into a handful of patches in pigmented rats. To investigate the three-dimensional (3D) topography of the eye-specific patches of the dLGN and its relationship with ODCs, we injected different tracers into the right and left eyes and examined strain difference, development, and plasticity of the patches. Furthermore, we applied the tissue clearing technique to reveal the 3D morphology of the LGN and were able to observe entire retinotopic map of the rat dLGN at a certain angle. Our results show that the ipsilateral domains of the dLGN appear mesh-like at any angle and are developed at around time of eye-opening. Their development was moderately affected by abnormal visual experience, but the patch formation was not disrupted. In albino Wistar rats, ipsilateral patches were observed in the dLGN, but they were much fewer, especially near the central visual field. These results provide insights into how ipsilateral patches of the dLGN arise, and how the geniculo-cortical arrangement is different between rodents and primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangqi Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
| | - Qiuying Zhou
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
| | - Yanlu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Huijie Hu
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Liang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, P.R. China
| | - Toru Takahata
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
- Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029, P. R. China
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Maher EE, Briegel AC, Imtiaz S, Fox MA, Golino H, Erisir A. 3D electron microscopy and volume-based bouton sorting reveal the selectivity of inputs onto geniculate relay cell and interneuron dendrite segments. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1150747. [PMID: 37007643 PMCID: PMC10064015 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1150747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The visual signals evoked at the retinal ganglion cells are modified and modulated by various synaptic inputs that impinge on lateral geniculate nucleus cells before they are sent to the cortex. The selectivity of geniculate inputs for clustering or forming microcircuits on discrete dendritic segments of geniculate cell types may provide the structural basis for network properties of the geniculate circuitry and differential signal processing through the parallel pathways of vision. In our study, we aimed to reveal the patterns of input selectivity on morphologically discernable relay cell types and interneurons in the mouse lateral geniculate nucleus. Methods We used two sets of Scanning Blockface Electron Microscopy (SBEM) image stacks and Reconstruct software to manually reconstruct of terminal boutons and dendrite segments. First, using an unbiased terminal sampling (UTS) approach and statistical modeling, we identified the criteria for volume-based sorting of geniculate boutons into their putative origins. Geniculate terminal boutons that were sorted in retinal and non-retinal categories based on previously described mitochondrial morphology, could further be sorted into multiple subpopulations based on their bouton volume distributions. Terminals deemed non-retinal based on the morphological criteria consisted of five distinct subpopulations, including small-sized putative corticothalamic and cholinergic boutons, two medium-sized putative GABAergic inputs, and a large-sized bouton type that contains dark mitochondria. Retinal terminals also consisted of four distinct subpopulations. The cutoff criteria for these subpopulations were then applied to datasets of terminals that synapse on reconstructed dendrite segments of relay cells or interneurons. Results Using a network analysis approach, we found an almost complete segregation of retinal and cortical terminals on putative X-type cell dendrite segments characterized by grape-like appendages and triads. On these cells, interneuron appendages intermingle with retinal and other medium size terminals to form triads within glomeruli. In contrast, a second, presumed Y-type cell displayed dendrodendritic puncta adherentia and received all terminal types without a selectivity for synapse location; these were not engaged in triads. Furthermore, the contribution of retinal and cortical synapses received by X-, Y- and interneuron dendrites differed such that over 60% of inputs to interneuron dendrites were from the retina, as opposed to 20% and 7% to X- and Y-type cells, respectively. Conclusion The results underlie differences in network properties of synaptic inputs from distinct origins on geniculate cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Maher
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Alex C Briegel
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Shahrozia Imtiaz
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Michael A Fox
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Roanoke, VA, United States
| | - Hudson Golino
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Alev Erisir
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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13
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Reggiani JDS, Jiang Q, Barbini M, Lutas A, Liang L, Fernando J, Deng F, Wan J, Li Y, Chen C, Andermann ML. Brainstem serotonin neurons selectively gate retinal information flow to thalamus. Neuron 2023; 111:711-726.e11. [PMID: 36584680 PMCID: PMC10131437 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types relay parallel streams of visual feature information. We hypothesized that neuromodulators might efficiently control which visual information streams reach the cortex by selectively gating transmission from specific RGC axons in the thalamus. Using fiber photometry recordings, we found that optogenetic stimulation of serotonergic axons in primary visual thalamus of awake mice suppressed ongoing and visually evoked calcium activity and glutamate release from RGC boutons. Two-photon calcium imaging revealed that serotonin axon stimulation suppressed RGC boutons that responded strongly to global changes in luminance more than those responding only to local visual stimuli, while the converse was true for suppression induced by increases in arousal. Converging evidence suggests that differential expression of the 5-HT1B receptor on RGC presynaptic terminals, but not differential density of nearby serotonin axons, may contribute to the selective serotonergic gating of specific visual information streams before they can activate thalamocortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine D S Reggiani
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qiufen Jiang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melanie Barbini
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrew Lutas
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liang Liang
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jesseba Fernando
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jinxia Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Mark L Andermann
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Zhang C, Yadav S, Speer CM. The synaptic basis of activity-dependent eye-specific competition. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112085. [PMID: 36753422 PMCID: PMC10404640 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112085] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Binocular vision requires proper developmental wiring of eye-specific inputs to the brain. In the thalamus, axons from the two eyes initially overlap in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and undergo activity-dependent competition to segregate into target domains. Here, we combine eye-specific tract tracing with volumetric super-resolution imaging to measure the nanoscale molecular reorganization of developing retinogeniculate eye-specific synapses in the mouse brain. We show there are eye-specific differences in presynaptic vesicle pool size and vesicle association with the active zone at the earliest stages of retinogeniculate refinement but find no evidence of eye-specific differences in subsynaptic domain number, size, or transsynaptic alignment across development. Genetic disruption of spontaneous retinal activity decreases retinogeniculate synapse density, delays the emergence eye-specific differences in vesicle organization, and disrupts subsynaptic domain maturation. These results suggest that activity-dependent eye-specific presynaptic maturation underlies synaptic competition in the mammalian visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghang Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Swapnil Yadav
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Colenso M Speer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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15
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Santana NNM, Silva EHA, dos Santos SF, Costa MSMO, Nascimento Junior ES, Engelberth RCJG, Cavalcante JS. Retinorecipient areas in the common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus): An image-forming and non-image forming circuitry. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1088686. [PMID: 36817647 PMCID: PMC9932520 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1088686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian retina captures a multitude of diverse features from the external environment and conveys them via the optic nerve to a myriad of retinorecipient nuclei. Understanding how retinal signals act in distinct brain functions is one of the most central and established goals of neuroscience. Using the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a monkey from Northeastern Brazil, as an animal model for parsing how retinal innervation works in the brain, started decades ago due to their marmoset's small bodies, rapid reproduction rate, and brain features. In the course of that research, a large amount of new and sophisticated neuroanatomical techniques was developed and employed to explain retinal connectivity. As a consequence, image and non-image-forming regions, functions, and pathways, as well as retinal cell types were described. Image-forming circuits give rise directly to vision, while the non-image-forming territories support circadian physiological processes, although part of their functional significance is uncertain. Here, we reviewed the current state of knowledge concerning retinal circuitry in marmosets from neuroanatomical investigations. We have also highlighted the aspects of marmoset retinal circuitry that remain obscure, in addition, to identify what further research is needed to better understand the connections and functions of retinorecipient structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelyane Nayara M. Santana
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Eryck H. A. Silva
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Sâmarah F. dos Santos
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Miriam S. M. O. Costa
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Department of Morphology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Expedito S. Nascimento Junior
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy, Department of Morphology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Rovena Clara J. G. Engelberth
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Jeferson S. Cavalcante
- Laboratory of Neurochemical Studies, Department of Physiology and Behavior, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil,*Correspondence: Jeferson S. Cavalcante,
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16
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Loss of Retinogeniculate Synaptic Function in the DBA/2J Mouse Model of Glaucoma. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0421-22.2022. [PMID: 36526366 PMCID: PMC9794376 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0421-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons comprise the optic nerve and carry information to the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), which is then relayed to the cortex for conscious vision. Glaucoma is a blinding neurodegenerative disease that commonly results from intraocular pressure (IOP)-associated injury leading to RGC axonal pathology, disruption of RGC outputs to the brain, and eventual apoptotic loss of RGC somata. The consequences of elevated IOP and glaucomatous pathology on RGC signaling to the dLGN are largely unknown yet are likely to contribute to vision loss. Here, we used anatomic and physiological approaches to study the structure and function of retinogeniculate (RG) synapses in male and female DBA/2J (D2) mice with inherited glaucoma before and after IOP elevation. D2 mice showed progressive loss of anterograde optic tract transport to the dLGN and vGlut2 labeling of RGC axon terminals while patch-clamp measurements of RG synaptic function showed that synaptic transmission was reduced in 9-month and 12-month D2 mice because of the loss of individual RGC axon inputs. TC neuron dendrites had reduced Sholl complexity at 12 months, suggestive of delayed reorganization following reduced synaptic input. There was no detectable change in RGC density in 11- to 12-month D2 retinas, quantified as the number of ganglion cell layer-residing somata immuno-positive for NeuN and immuno-negative for the amacrine marker choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). Thus, observed synaptic defects appear to precede RGC somatic loss. These findings identify glaucoma-associated and IOP-associated deficits in an important subcortical RGC projection target, shedding light on processes linking IOP to vision loss.
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17
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Van Hook MJ. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a regulator of synaptic transmission in the adult visual thalamus. J Neurophysiol 2022; 128:1267-1277. [PMID: 36224192 PMCID: PMC9662800 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00540.2021] [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: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important regulator of circuit development, neuronal survival, and plasticity throughout the nervous system. In the visual system, BDNF is produced by retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and transported along their axons to central targets. Within the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), a key RGC projection target for conscious vision, the BDNF receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) is present on RGC axon terminals and postsynaptic thalamocortical (TC) relay neuron dendrites. Based on this, the goal of this study was to determine how BDNF modulates the conveyance of signals through the retinogeniculate (RG) pathway of adult mice. Application of BDNF to dLGN brain slices increased TC neuron spiking evoked by optogenetic stimulation of RGC axons. There was a modest contribution to this effect from a BDNF-dependent enhancement of TC neuron intrinsic excitability including increased input resistance and membrane depolarization. BDNF also increased evoked vesicle release from RGC axon terminals, as evidenced by increased amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs), which was blocked by inhibition of TrkB or phospholipase C. High-frequency stimulation revealed that BDNF increased synaptic vesicle pool size, release probability, and replenishment rate. There was no effect of BDNF on EPSC amplitude or short-term plasticity of corticothalamic feedback synapses. Thus, BDNF regulates RG synapses by both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. These findings suggest that BNDF influences the flow of visual information through the retinogeniculate pathway.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important regulator of neuronal development and plasticity. In the visual system, BDNF is transported along retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons to the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), although it is not known how it influences mature dLGN function. Here, BDNF enhanced thalamocortical relay neuron responses to signals arising from RGC axons in the dLGN, pointing toward an important role for BDNF in processing signals en route to the visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Van Hook
- Truhlsen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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18
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Van Hook MJ. Influences of Glaucoma on the Structure and Function of Synapses in the Visual System. Antioxid Redox Signal 2022; 37:842-861. [PMID: 35044228 PMCID: PMC9587776 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2021.0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Significance: Glaucoma is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder of the visual system associated with sensitivity to intraocular pressure (IOP). It is the leading irreversible cause of vision loss worldwide, and vision loss results from damage and dysfunction of the retinal output neurons known as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Recent Advances: Elevated IOP and optic nerve injury triggers pruning of RGC dendrites, altered morphology of excitatory inputs from presynaptic bipolar cells, and disrupted RGC synaptic function. Less is known about RGC outputs, although evidence to date indicates that glaucoma is associated with altered mitochondrial and synaptic structure and function in RGC-projection targets in the brain. These early functional changes likely contribute to vision loss and might be a window into early diagnosis and treatment. Critical Issues: Glaucoma affects different RGC populations to varying extents and along distinct time courses. The influence of glaucoma on RGC synaptic function as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects remain to be determined. Since RGCs are an especially energetically demanding population of neurons, altered intracellular axon transport of mitochondria and mitochondrial function might contribute to RGC synaptic dysfunction in the retina and brain as well as RGC vulnerability in glaucoma. Future Directions: The mechanisms underlying differential RGC vulnerability remain to be determined. Moreover, the timing and mechanisms of RGCs synaptic dysfunction and degeneration will provide valuable insight into the disease process in glaucoma. Future work will be able to capitalize on these findings to better design diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to detect disease and prevent vision loss. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 842-861.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science and Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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19
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Tien NW, Vitale C, Badea TC, Kerschensteiner D. Layer-Specific Developmentally Precise Axon Targeting of Transient Suppressed-by-Contrast Retinal Ganglion Cells. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7213-7221. [PMID: 36002262 PMCID: PMC9512569 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2332-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The mouse retina encodes diverse visual features in the spike trains of >40 retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types. Each RGC type innervates a specific subset of the >50 retinorecipient brain areas. Our catalog of RGC types and feature representations is nearing completion. Yet, we know little about where specific RGC types send their information. Furthermore, the developmental strategies by which RGC axons choose their targets and pattern their terminal arbors remain obscure. Here, we identify a genetic intersection (Cck-Cre and Brn3cCKOAP ) that selectively labels transient Suppressed-by-Contrast (tSbC) RGCs, a member of an evolutionarily conserved functionally mysterious RGC subclass. We find that tSbC RGCs selectively innervate the dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and ventrolateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) of the thalamus, the superior colliculus (SC), and the nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) in mice of either sex. They binocularly innervate dLGN and vLGN but project only contralaterally to SC and NOT. In each target, tSbC RGC axons occupy a specific sublayer, suggesting that they restrict their input to specific circuits. The tSbC RGC axons span the length of the optic tract by birth and remain poised there until they simultaneously innervate their four targets around postnatal day 3. The tSbC RGC axons choose the right targets and establish mature stratification patterns from the outset. This precision is maintained in the absence of Brn3c. Our results provide the first map of SbC inputs to the brain, revealing a narrow target set, unexpected laminar organization, target-specific binocularity, and developmental precision.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In recent years, we have learned a lot about the visual features encoded by RGCs, the output neurons of the eye. In contrast, we know little about where RGCs send their information and how RGC axons, which carry this information, target specific brain areas during development. Here, we develop an intersectional strategy to label a unique RGC type, the tSbC RGC, and map its projections. We find that tSbC RGC axons are highly selective. They innervate few retinal targets and restrict their arbors to specific sublayers within these targets. The selective tSbC RGC projection patterns develop synchronously and without trial and error, suggesting molecular determinism and coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nai-Wen Tien
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Carmela Vitale
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Tudor C Badea
- Retinal Circuit Development and Genetics Unit, Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
- Research and Development Institute, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov 500484, Romania
- National Center for Brain Research, Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Romanian Academy, Bucharest 050711, Romania
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
- Departments of Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110
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Krizan JM, Kerschensteiner D. Vision: Rules of thalamic mixology. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R779-R781. [PMID: 35882198 PMCID: PMC9888587 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.029] [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] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The retina generates rich feature representations of the visual world that pass through the thalamus on their way to cortex and perception. A new study reveals rules that govern the separation and combination of retinal inputs in the thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna M Krizan
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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21
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Sokhadze G, Campbell PW, Charalambakis N, Govindaiah G, Guido W, McGee AW. Cre driver mouse lines for thalamocortical circuit mapping. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:1049-1063. [PMID: 34545582 PMCID: PMC9891227 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Subpopulations of neurons and associated neural circuits can be targeted in mice with genetic tools in a highly selective manner for visualization and manipulation. However, there are not well-defined Cre "driver" lines that target the expression of Cre recombinase to thalamocortical (TC) neurons. Here, we characterize three Cre driver lines for the nuclei of the dorsal thalamus: Oligodendrocyte transcription factor 3 (Olig3)-Cre, histidine decarboxylase (HDC)-Cre, and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-Cre. We examined the postnatal distribution of Cre expression for each of these lines with the Cre-dependent reporter CAG-tdTomato (Ai9). Cre-dependent expression of tdTomato reveals that Olig3-Cre expresses broadly within the thalamus, including TC neurons and interneurons, while HDC-Cre and CRH-Cre each have unique patterns of expression restricted to TC neurons within and across the sensory relay nuclei of the dorsal thalamus. Cre expression is present by the time of natural birth in all three lines, underscoring their utility for developmental studies. To demonstrate the utility of these Cre drivers for studying sensory TC circuitry, we targeted the expression of channelrhodopsin-2 to thalamus from the CAG-COP4*H134R/EYFP (Ai32) allele with either HDC-Cre or CRH-Cre. Optogenetic activation of TC afferents in primary visual cortex was sufficient to measure frequency-dependent depression. Thus, these Cre drivers provide selective Cre-dependent gene expression in thalamus suitable for both anatomical and functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guela Sokhadze
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
| | - Peter W. Campbell
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
| | - Naomi Charalambakis
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
| | - Gubbi Govindaiah
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
| | - Aaron W. McGee
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology University of Louisville School of Medicine Louisville Kentucky USA
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22
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Sokhadze G, Whyland KL, Bickford ME, Guido W. The organization of cholinergic projections in the visual thalamus of the mouse. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:1081-1098. [PMID: 34448209 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cholinergic projections from the brainstem serve as important modulators of activity in visual thalamic nuclei such as the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). While these projections have been studied in several mammals, a comprehensive examination of their organization in the mouse is lacking. We used the retrograde transport of viruses or cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) injected in the dLGN, immunocytochemical labeling with antibodies against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), brain nitric oxide synthase (BNOS), and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), ChAT-Cre mice crossed with a reporter line (Ai9), as well as brainstem virus injections in ChAT-Cre mice to examine the pattern of thalamic innervation from cholinergic neurons in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg), laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg), and the parabigeminal nucleus (PBG). Retrograde tracing demonstrated that the dLGN receives input from the PPTg, LDTg, and PBG. Viral tracing in ChAT-Cre mice and retrograde tracing combined with immunocytochemistry revealed that many of these inputs originate from cholinergic neurons in the PBG and PPTg. Most notable was an extensive cholinergic projection from the PBG which innervated most of the contralateral dLGN, with an especially dense concentration in the dorsolateral shell, as well as a small region in the dorsomedial pole of the ipsilateral dLGN. The PPTg was found to provide a sparse somewhat diffuse innervation of the ipsilateral dLGN. Neurons in the PPTg co-expressed ChAT, BNOS, and VAChT, whereas PBG neurons expressed ChAT, but not BNOS or VAChT. These results highlight the presence of distinct cholinergic populations that innervate the mouse dLGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guela Sokhadze
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Kyle L Whyland
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Martha E Bickford
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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Abstract
Retinal circuits transform the pixel representation of photoreceptors into the feature representations of ganglion cells, whose axons transmit these representations to the brain. Functional, morphological, and transcriptomic surveys have identified more than 40 retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types in mice. RGCs extract features of varying complexity; some simply signal local differences in brightness (i.e., luminance contrast), whereas others detect specific motion trajectories. To understand the retina, we need to know how retinal circuits give rise to the diverse RGC feature representations. A catalog of the RGC feature set, in turn, is fundamental to understanding visual processing in the brain. Anterograde tracing indicates that RGCs innervate more than 50 areas in the mouse brain. Current maps connecting RGC types to brain areas are rudimentary, as is our understanding of how retinal signals are transformed downstream to guide behavior. In this article, I review the feature selectivities of mouse RGCs, how they arise, and how they are utilized downstream. Not only is knowledge of the behavioral purpose of RGC signals critical for understanding the retinal contributions to vision; it can also guide us to the most relevant areas of visual feature space. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 8 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; Department of Neuroscience; Department of Biomedical Engineering; and Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA;
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25
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Sabbagh U, Govindaiah G, Somaiya RD, Ha RV, Wei JC, Guido W, Fox MA. Diverse GABAergic neurons organize into subtype-specific sublaminae in the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus. J Neurochem 2021; 159:479-497. [PMID: 32497303 PMCID: PMC8210463 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In the visual system, retinal axons convey visual information from the outside world to dozens of distinct retinorecipient brain regions and organize that information at several levels, including either at the level of retinal afferents, cytoarchitecture of intrinsic retinorecipient neurons, or a combination of the two. Two major retinorecipient nuclei which are densely innervated by retinal axons are the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, which is important for classical image-forming vision, and ventral LGN (vLGN), which is associated with non-image-forming vision. The neurochemistry, cytoarchitecture, and retinothalamic connectivity in vLGN remain unresolved, raising fundamental questions of how it receives and processes visual information. To shed light on these important questions, used in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and genetic reporter lines to identify and characterize novel neuronal cell types in mouse vLGN. Not only were a high percentage of these cells GABAergic, we discovered transcriptomically distinct GABAergic cell types reside in the two major laminae of vLGN, the retinorecipient, external vLGN (vLGNe) and the non-retinorecipient, internal vLGN (vLGNi). Furthermore, within vLGNe, we identified transcriptionally distinct subtypes of GABAergic cells that are distributed into four adjacent sublaminae. Using trans-synaptic viral tracing and in vitro electrophysiology, we found cells in each these vLGNe sublaminae receive monosynaptic inputs from retina. These results not only identify novel subtypes of GABAergic cells in vLGN, they suggest the subtype-specific laminar distribution of retinorecipient cells in vLGNe may be important for receiving, processing, and transmitting light-derived signals in parallel channels of the subcortical visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ubadah Sabbagh
- Center for Neurobiology ResearchFralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech CarilionRoanokeVAUSA
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and HealthVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Gubbi Govindaiah
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and NeurobiologyUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Rachana D. Somaiya
- Center for Neurobiology ResearchFralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech CarilionRoanokeVAUSA
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and HealthVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Ryan V. Ha
- School of NeuroscienceVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
| | - Jessica C. Wei
- NeuroSURFFralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech CarilionRoanokeVAUSA
| | - William Guido
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and NeurobiologyUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKYUSA
| | - Michael A. Fox
- Center for Neurobiology ResearchFralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech CarilionRoanokeVAUSA
- School of NeuroscienceVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia TechBlacksburgVAUSA
- Department of PediatricsVirginia Tech Carilion School of MedicineRoanokeVAUSA
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26
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Tehovnik EJ, Froudarakis E, Scala F, Smirnakis SM, Patel SS, Tolias AS. Visuomotor control in mice and primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:185-200. [PMID: 34416241 PMCID: PMC10508359 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
We conduct a comparative evaluation of the visual systems from the retina to the muscles of the mouse and the macaque monkey noting the differences and similarities between these two species. The topics covered include (1) visual-field overlap, (2) visual spatial resolution, (3) V1 cortical point-image [i.e., V1 tissue dedicated to analyzing a unit receptive field], (4) object versus motion encoding, (5) oculomotor range, (6) eye, head, and body movement coordination, and (7) neocortical and cerebellar function. We also discuss blindsight in rodents and primates which provides insights on how the neocortex mediates conscious vision in these species. This review is timely because the field of visuomotor neurophysiology is expanding beyond the macaque monkey to include the mouse; there is therefore a need for a comparative analysis between these two species on how the brain generates visuomotor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Tehovnik
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - E Froudarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - F Scala
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S M Smirnakis
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Jamaica Plain Veterans Administration Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S S Patel
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A S Tolias
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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27
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Pilipović K, Rajič Bumber J, Dolenec P, Gržeta N, Janković T, Križ J, Župan G. Long-Term Effects of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Injury on the Visual System in Wild-Type and TDP-43 Transgenic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126584. [PMID: 34205342 PMCID: PMC8235442 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the impairments and pathological changes in the visual system in mild brain trauma, especially repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The goal of this study was to examine and compare the effects of repeated head impacts on the neurodegeneration, axonal integrity, and glial activity in the optic tract (OT), as well as on neuronal preservation, glial responses, and synaptic organization in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and superior colliculus (SC), in wild-type mice and transgenic animals with overexpression of human TDP-43 mutant protein (TDP-43G348C) at 6 months after repeated closed head traumas. Animals were also assessed in the Barnes maze (BM) task. Neurodegeneration, axonal injury, and gliosis were detected in the OT of the injured animals of both genotypes. In the traumatized mice, myelination of surviving axons was mostly preserved, and the expression of neurofilament light chain was unaffected. Repetitive mTBI did not induce changes in the LGN and the SC, nor did it affect the performance of the BM task in the traumatized wild-type and TDP-43 transgenic mice. Differences in neuropathological and behavioral assessments between the injured wild-type and TDP-43G348C mice were not revealed. Results of the current study suggest that repetitive mTBI was associated with chronic damage and inflammation in the OT in wild-type and TDP-43G348C mice, which were not accompanied with behavioral problems and were not affected by the TDP-43 genotype, while the LGN and the SC remained preserved in the used experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Pilipović
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
| | - Jelena Rajič Bumber
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
| | - Petra Dolenec
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
| | - Nika Gržeta
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
| | - Tamara Janković
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
| | - Jasna Križ
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada;
| | - Gordana Župan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, 51 000 Rijeka, Croatia; (K.P.); (J.R.B.); (P.D.); (N.G.); (T.J.)
- Correspondence:
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28
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Jeczmien-Lazur JS, Orlowska-Feuer P, Kustron A, Lewandowski MH. Short Wavelengths Contribution to Light-induced Responses and Irradiance Coding in the Rat Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus - An In vivo Electrophysiological Approach. Neuroscience 2021; 468:220-234. [PMID: 34146632 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) is the main neuronal station en route to higher visual areas. It receives information about environmental light from retinal photoreceptors whose sensitivity peaks are distributed across a visible spectrum. Here, using electrophysiological multichannel recordings in vivo combined with different light stimulations, we investigated short wavelength contribution to the dLGN responses to light and irradiance coding. The results showed that the majority of dLGN cells responded evenly to almost all wavelengths from the 340 to 490 nm spectrum; however, some cells representing extremes of unimodal distribution of Blue-UV index were specialised in the reception of blue or UV light. Moreover, by using alternate yellow and monochromatic light stimuli from blue - UV range, we also assessed the relative spectral contribution to rat dLGN responses to light. Finally, we observed no clear changes in the irradiance coding property of short wavelength-deficient light stimuli, however we noticed a distortion of the coding curves manifested by a significant drop in measure of fit after using short wavelength blocking filter. In conclusion, our data provide the first electrophysiological report on dLGN short wavelength-induced responses under changing light conditions and suggest the presence of colour opponent cells in the rat dLGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagoda Stanislawa Jeczmien-Lazur
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Patrycja Orlowska-Feuer
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB), Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Anna Kustron
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marian Henryk Lewandowski
- Department of Neurophysiology and Chronobiology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
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29
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O'Reilly C, Iavarone E, Yi J, Hill SL. Rodent somatosensory thalamocortical circuitry: Neurons, synapses, and connectivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:213-235. [PMID: 33766672 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
As our understanding of the thalamocortical system deepens, the questions we face become more complex. Their investigation requires the adoption of novel experimental approaches complemented with increasingly sophisticated computational modeling. In this review, we take stock of current data and knowledge about the circuitry of the somatosensory thalamocortical loop in rodents, discussing common principles across modalities and species whenever appropriate. We review the different levels of organization, including the cells, synapses, neuroanatomy, and network connectivity. We provide a complete overview of this system that should be accessible for newcomers to this field while nevertheless being comprehensive enough to serve as a reference for seasoned neuroscientists and computational modelers studying the thalamocortical system. We further highlight key gaps in data and knowledge that constitute pressing targets for future experimental work. Filling these gaps would provide invaluable information for systematically unveiling how this system supports behavioral and cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian O'Reilly
- Azrieli Centre for Autism Research, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Ronin Institute, Montclair, NJ, USA; Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Elisabetta Iavarone
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jane Yi
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sean L Hill
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.
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30
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Van Hook MJ, Monaco C, Bierlein ER, Smith JC. Neuronal and Synaptic Plasticity in the Visual Thalamus in Mouse Models of Glaucoma. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:626056. [PMID: 33584206 PMCID: PMC7873902 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.626056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic plasticity plays important role in regulating synaptic and intrinsic neuronal function to stabilize output following perturbations to circuit activity. In glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease of the visual system commonly associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), the early disease is associated with altered synaptic inputs to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), changes in RGC intrinsic excitability, and deficits in optic nerve transport and energy metabolism. These early functional changes can precede RGC degeneration and are likely to alter RGC outputs to their target structures in the brain and thereby trigger homeostatic changes in synaptic and neuronal properties in those brain regions. In this study, we sought to determine whether and how neuronal and synaptic function is altered in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), an important RGC projection target in the thalamus, and how functional changes related to IOP. We accomplished this using patch-clamp recordings from thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons in the dLGN in two established mouse models of glaucoma—the DBA/2J (D2) genetic mouse model and an inducible glaucoma model with intracameral microbead injections to elevate IOP. We found that the intrinsic excitability of TC neurons was enhanced in D2 mice and these functional changes were mirrored in recordings of TC neurons from microbead-injected mice. Notably, many neuronal properties were correlated with IOP in older D2 mice, when IOP rises. The frequency of miniature excitatory synaptic currents (mEPSCs) was reduced in 9-month-old D2 mice, and vGlut2 staining of RGC synaptic terminals was reduced in an IOP-dependent manner. These data suggest that glaucoma-associated changes to neuronal excitability and synaptic inputs in the dLGN might represent a combination of both stabilizing/homeostatic plasticity and pathological dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Corrine Monaco
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Olson Center for Women's Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Elizabeth R Bierlein
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jennie C Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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31
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Ahn J, Yoo Y, Goo YS. Spike-triggered Clustering for Retinal Ganglion Cell Classification. Exp Neurobiol 2020; 29:433-452. [PMID: 33321473 PMCID: PMC7788309 DOI: 10.5607/en20029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the retina's output neurons, encode visual information through spiking. The RGC receptive field (RF) represents the basic unit of visual information processing in the retina. RFs are commonly estimated using the spike-triggered average (STA), which is the average of the stimulus patterns to which a given RGC is sensitive. Whereas STA, based on the concept of the average, is simple and intuitive, it leaves more complex structures in the RFs undetected. Alternatively, spike-triggered covariance (STC) analysis provides information on second-order RF statistics. However, STC is computationally cumbersome and difficult to interpret. Thus, the objective of this study was to propose and validate a new computational method, called spike-triggered clustering (STCL), specific for multimodal RFs. Specifically, RFs were fit with a Gaussian mixture model, which provides the means and covariances of multiple RF clusters. The proposed method recovered bipolar stimulus patterns in the RFs of ON-OFF cells, while the STA identified only ON and OFF RGCs, and the remaining RGCs were labeled as unknown types. In contrast, our new STCL analysis distinguished ON-OFF RGCs from the ON, OFF, and unknown RGC types classified by STA. Thus, the proposed method enables us to include ON-OFF RGCs prior to retinal information analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungryul Ahn
- Department of Physiology, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Yongseok Yoo
- Department of Electronics Engineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
| | - Yong Sook Goo
- Department of Physiology, Chungbuk National University School of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea
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32
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Neural Polyamory: One Cell Forms Meaningful Connections with Hundreds of Partners. Cell Syst 2020; 10:381-383. [PMID: 32437682 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2020.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Reconstruction of one thalamic neuron, mapping hundreds of presynaptic inputs and postsynaptic outputs, reveals diverse types of interaction in a neural microcircuit.
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33
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Okigawa S, Yamaguchi M, Ito KN, Takeuchi RF, Morimoto N, Osakada F. Cell type- and layer-specific convergence in core and shell neurons of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:2099-2124. [PMID: 33236346 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Over 40 distinct types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) generate parallel processing pathways in the visual system. In mice, two subdivisions of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), the core and the shell, organize distinct parallel channels to transmit visual information from the retina to the primary visual cortex (V1). To investigate how the dLGN core and shell differentially integrate visual information and other modalities, we mapped synaptic input sources to each dLGN subdivision at the cell-type level with G-deleted rabies viral vectors. The monosynaptic circuit tracing revealed that dLGN core neurons received inputs from alpha-RGCs, Layer 6 neurons of the V1, the superficial and intermediate layers of the superior colliculus (SC), the internal ventral LGN, the lower layer of the external ventral LGN (vLGNe), the intergeniculate leaf, the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), and the pretectal nucleus (PT). Conversely, shell neurons received inputs from alpha-RGCs and direction-selective ganglion cells of the retina, Layer 6 neurons of the V1, the superficial layer of the SC, the superficial and lower layers of the vLGNe, the TRN, the PT, and the parabigeminal nucleus. The present study provides anatomical evidence of the cell type- and layer-specific convergence in dLGN core and shell neurons. These findings suggest that dLGN core neurons integrate and process more multimodal information along with visual information than shell neurons and that LGN core and shell neurons integrate different types of information, send their own convergent information to discrete populations of the V1, and differentially contribute to visual perception and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayumi Okigawa
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kei N Ito
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryosuke F Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Nao Morimoto
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Laboratory of Neural Information Processing, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Fumitaka Osakada
- Laboratory of Cellular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Laboratory of Neural Information Processing, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Institute of Nano-Life-Systems, Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,PRESTO/CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
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34
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Differential Distribution of Ca 2+ Channel Subtypes at Retinofugal Synapses. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0293-20.2020. [PMID: 33097488 PMCID: PMC7768275 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0293-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinofugal synapses serve as models for understanding how sensory signals from the periphery are relayed to the brain. Past studies have focused primarily on understanding the postsynaptic glutamatergic receptor subtypes involved in signal transmission, but the mechanisms underlying glutamate release at presynaptic retinal terminals remains largely unknown. Here we explored how different calcium (Ca2+) channel subtypes regulate glutamatergic excitatory synaptic transmission in two principal retinorecipient targets, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and superior colliculus (SC) of the mouse. We used an in vitro slice preparation to record the synaptic responses of dLGN and SC neurons evoked by the electrical stimulation of optic tract (OT) fibers before and during the application of selective Ca2+ channel blockers. We found that synaptic responses to paired or repetitive OT stimulation were highly sensitive to extracellular levels of Ca2+ and to selective antagonists of voltage gated Ca2+ channels, indicating that these channels regulate the presynaptic release of glutamate at retinal synapses in both dLGN and SC. Bath application of selective Ca2+ channel blockers revealed that P/Q-type Ca2+ channels primarily operate to regulate glutamate release at retinal synapses in dLGN, while N-type Ca2+ channels dominate release in the SC.
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35
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Beier C, Zhang Z, Yurgel M, Hattar S. Projections of ipRGCs and conventional RGCs to retinorecipient brain nuclei. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:1863-1875. [PMID: 33104235 PMCID: PMC10081000 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the output neurons of the retina, allow us to perceive our visual environment. RGCs respond to rod/cone input through the retinal circuitry, however, a small population of RGCs are in addition intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and project to unique targets in the brain to modulate a broad range of subconscious visual behaviors such as pupil constriction and circadian photoentrainment. Despite the discovery of ipRGCs nearly two decades ago, there is still little information about how or if conventional RGCs (non-ipRGCs) target ipRGC-recipient nuclei to influence subconscious visual behavior. Using a dual recombinase fluorescent reporter strategy, we showed that conventional RGCs innervate many subconscious ipRGC-recipient nuclei, apart from the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We revealed previously unrecognized stratification patterns of retinal innervation from ipRGCs and conventional RGCs in the ventral portion of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Further, we found that the percent innervation of ipRGCs and conventional RGCs across ipsi- and contralateral nuclei differ. Our data provide a blueprint to understand how conventional RGCs and ipRGCs innervate different brain regions to influence subconscious visual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Beier
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ze Zhang
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Yurgel
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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36
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Alvarado JA, Dhande OS, Prosseda PP, Kowal TJ, Ning K, Jabbehdari S, Hu Y, Sun Y. Developmental distribution of primary cilia in the retinofugal visual pathway. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:1442-1455. [PMID: 32939774 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian visual system is composed of circuitry connecting sensory input from the retina to the processing core of the visual cortex. The two main retinorecipient brain targets, the superior colliculus (SC) and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), bridge retinal input and visual output. The primary cilium is a conserved organelle increasingly viewed as a critical sensor for the regulation of developmental and homeostatic pathways in most mammalian cell types. Moreover, cilia have been described as crucial for neurogenesis, neuronal maturation, and survival in the cortex and retina. However, cilia in the visual relay center remain to be fully described. In this study, we characterized the ciliation profile of the SC and dLGN and found that the overall number of ciliated cells declined during development. Interestingly, shorter ciliated cells in both regions were identified as neurons, whose numbers remained stable over time, suggesting that cilia retention is a critical feature for optimal neuronal function in SC and dLGN. Our study suggests that primary cilia are important for neuronal maturation and function in cells of the SC and dLGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Alvarado
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Onkar S Dhande
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Philipp P Prosseda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Tia J Kowal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Ke Ning
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Sayena Jabbehdari
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yang Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yang Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.,Palo Alto Veterans Administration, Palo Alto, California, USA
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37
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Borucki DM, Toutonji A, Couch C, Mallah K, Rohrer B, Tomlinson S. Complement-Mediated Microglial Phagocytosis and Pathological Changes in the Development and Degeneration of the Visual System. Front Immunol 2020; 11:566892. [PMID: 33072106 PMCID: PMC7541817 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.566892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The focus of this review is the role of complement-mediated phagocytosis in retinal and neurological diseases affecting the visual system. Complement activation products opsonize synaptic material on neurons for phagocytic removal, which is a normal physiological process during development, but a pathological process in several neurodegenerative diseases and conditions. We discuss the role of complement in the refinement and elimination of synapses in the retina and lateral geniculate nucleus, both during development and in disease states. How complement and aberrant phagocytosis promotes injury to the visual system is discussed primarily in the context of multiple sclerosis, where it has been extensively studied, although the role of complement in visual dysfunction in other diseases such as stroke and traumatic brain injury is also highlighted. Retinal diseases are also covered, with a focus on glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Finally, we discuss the potential of complement inhibitory strategies to treat diseases affecting the visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davis M. Borucki
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Amer Toutonji
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Christine Couch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Khalil Mallah
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Baerbel Rohrer
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Stephen Tomlinson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
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38
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Liang L, Chen C. Organization, Function, and Development of the Mouse Retinogeniculate Synapse. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2020; 6:261-285. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-121219-081753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Visual information is encoded in distinct retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types in the eye tuned to specific features of the visual space. These streams of information project to the visual thalamus, the first station of the image-forming pathway. In the mouse, this connection between RGCs and thalamocortical neurons, the retinogeniculate synapse, has become a powerful experimental model for understanding how circuits in the thalamus are constructed to process these incoming lines of information. Using modern molecular and genetic tools, recent studies have suggested a more complex circuit organization than was previously understood. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the structural and functional organization of the retinogeniculate synapse in the mouse. We discuss a framework by which a seemingly complex circuit can effectively integrate and parse information to downstream stations of the visual pathway. Finally, we review how activity and visual experience can sculpt this exquisite connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Liang
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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39
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Rasmussen R, Yonehara K. Contributions of Retinal Direction Selectivity to Central Visual Processing. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R897-R903. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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40
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Wang Q, Ding SL, Li Y, Royall J, Feng D, Lesnar P, Graddis N, Naeemi M, Facer B, Ho A, Dolbeare T, Blanchard B, Dee N, Wakeman W, Hirokawa KE, Szafer A, Sunkin SM, Oh SW, Bernard A, Phillips JW, Hawrylycz M, Koch C, Zeng H, Harris JA, Ng L. The Allen Mouse Brain Common Coordinate Framework: A 3D Reference Atlas. Cell 2020; 181:936-953.e20. [PMID: 32386544 PMCID: PMC8152789 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 515] [Impact Index Per Article: 128.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Recent large-scale collaborations are generating major surveys of cell types and connections in the mouse brain, collecting large amounts of data across modalities, spatial scales, and brain areas. Successful integration of these data requires a standard 3D reference atlas. Here, we present the Allen Mouse Brain Common Coordinate Framework (CCFv3) as such a resource. We constructed an average template brain at 10 μm voxel resolution by interpolating high resolution in-plane serial two-photon tomography images with 100 μm z-sampling from 1,675 young adult C57BL/6J mice. Then, using multimodal reference data, we parcellated the entire brain directly in 3D, labeling every voxel with a brain structure spanning 43 isocortical areas and their layers, 329 subcortical gray matter structures, 81 fiber tracts, and 8 ventricular structures. CCFv3 can be used to analyze, visualize, and integrate multimodal and multiscale datasets in 3D and is openly accessible (https://atlas.brain-map.org/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanxin Wang
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Song-Lin Ding
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Yang Li
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Josh Royall
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - David Feng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Phil Lesnar
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Nile Graddis
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Maitham Naeemi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Benjamin Facer
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Anh Ho
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tim Dolbeare
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Wayne Wakeman
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Aaron Szafer
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Susan M Sunkin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Seung Wook Oh
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Amy Bernard
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | | | - Christof Koch
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Julie A Harris
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Lydia Ng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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41
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Van Hook MJ. Temperature effects on synaptic transmission and neuronal function in the visual thalamus. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232451. [PMID: 32353050 PMCID: PMC7192487 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous neuronal properties including the synaptic vesicle release process, neurotransmitter receptor complement, and postsynaptic ion channels are involved in transforming synaptic inputs into postsynaptic spiking. Temperature is a significant influencer of neuronal function and synaptic integration. Changing temperature can affect neuronal physiology in a diversity of ways depending on how it affects different members of the cell’s ion channel complement. Temperature’s effects on neuronal function are critical for pathological states such as fever, which can trigger seizure activity, but are also important in interpreting and comparing results of experiments conducted at room vs physiological temperature. The goal of this study was to examine the influence of temperature on synaptic properties and ion channel function in thalamocortical (TC) relay neurons in acute brain slices of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, a key synaptic target of retinal ganglion cells in the thalamus. Warming the superfusate in patch clamp experiments with acutely-prepared brain slices led to an overall inhibition of synaptically-driven spiking behavior in TC neurons in response to a retinal ganglion cell spike train. Further study revealed that this was associated with an increase in presynaptic synaptic vesicle release probability and synaptic depression and altered passive and active membrane properties. Additionally, warming the superfusate triggered activation of an inwardly rectifying potassium current and altered the voltage-dependence of voltage-gated Na+ currents and T-type calcium currents. This study highlights the importance of careful temperature control in ex vivo physiological experiments and illustrates how numerous properties such as synaptic inputs, active conductances, and passive membrane properties converge to determine spike output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
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42
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Huh CYL, Abdelaal K, Salinas KJ, Gu D, Zeitoun J, Figueroa Velez DX, Peach JP, Fowlkes CC, Gandhi SP. Long-term Monocular Deprivation during Juvenile Critical Period Disrupts Binocular Integration in Mouse Visual Thalamus. J Neurosci 2020; 40:585-604. [PMID: 31767678 PMCID: PMC6961993 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1626-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Study of the neural deficits caused by mismatched binocular vision in early childhood has predominantly focused on circuits in the primary visual cortex (V1). Recent evidence has revealed that neurons in mouse dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) can undergo rapid ocular dominance plasticity following monocular deprivation (MD). It remains unclear, however, whether the long-lasting deficits attributed to MD during the critical period originate in the thalamus. Using in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging of dLGN afferents in superficial layers of V1 in female and male mice, we demonstrate that 14 d MD during the critical period leads to a chronic loss of binocular dLGN inputs while sparing response strength and spatial acuity. Importantly, MD leads to profoundly mismatched visual tuning properties in remaining binocular dLGN afferents. Furthermore, MD impairs binocular modulation, reducing facilitation of responses of both binocular and monocular dLGN inputs during binocular viewing. As predicted by our findings in thalamic inputs, Ca2+ imaging from V1 neurons revealed spared spatial acuity but impaired binocularity in L4 neurons. V1 L2/3 neurons in contrast displayed deficits in both binocularity and spatial acuity. Our data demonstrate that critical-period MD produces long-lasting disruptions in binocular integration beginning in early binocular circuits in dLGN, whereas spatial acuity deficits first arise from circuits further downstream in V1. Our findings indicate that the development of normal binocular vision and spatial acuity depend upon experience-dependent refinement of distinct stages in the mammalian visual system.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Abnormal binocular vision and reduced acuity are hallmarks of amblyopia, a disorder that affects 2%-5% of the population. It is widely thought that the neural deficits underlying amblyopia begin in the circuits of primary visual cortex. Using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging of thalamocortical axons in mice, we show that depriving one eye of input during a critical period in development chronically impairs binocular integration in thalamic inputs to primary visual cortex. In contrast, visual acuity is spared in thalamic inputs. These findings shed new light on the role for developmental mechanisms in the thalamus in establishing binocular vision and may have critical implications for amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Diyue Gu
- Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences
| | | | | | - John P Peach
- Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | | | - Sunil P Gandhi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior,
- Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, and
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43
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Bhandari A, Smith JC, Zhang Y, Jensen AA, Reid L, Goeser T, Fan S, Ghate D, Van Hook MJ. Early-Stage Ocular Hypertension Alters Retinal Ganglion Cell Synaptic Transmission in the Visual Thalamus. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:426. [PMID: 31607867 PMCID: PMC6761307 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Axonopathy is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases including glaucoma, where elevated intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension, OHT) stresses retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons as they exit the eye and form the optic nerve. OHT causes early changes in the optic nerve such as axon atrophy, transport inhibition, and gliosis. Importantly, many of these changes appear to occur prior to irreversible neuronal loss, making them promising points for early diagnosis of glaucoma. It is unknown whether OHT has similarly early effects on the function of RGC output to the brain. To test this possibility, we elevated eye pressure in mice by anterior chamber injection of polystyrene microbeads. Five weeks post-injection, bead-injected eyes showed a modest RGC loss in the peripheral retina, as evidenced by RBPMS antibody staining. Additionally, we observed reduced dendritic complexity and lower spontaneous spike rate of On-αRGCs, targeted for patch clamp recording and dye filling using a Opn4-Cre reporter mouse line. To determine the influence of OHT on retinal projections to the brain, we expressed Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in melanopsin-expressing RGCs by crossing the Opn4-Cre mouse line with a ChR2-reporter mouse line and recorded post-synaptic responses in thalamocortical relay neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus evoked by stimulation with 460 nm light. The use of a Opn4-Cre reporter system allowed for expression of ChR2 in a narrow subset of RGCs responsible for image-forming vision in mice. Five weeks following OHT induction, paired pulse and high-frequency stimulus train experiments revealed that presynaptic vesicle release probability at retinogeniculate synapses was elevated. Additionally, miniature synaptic current frequency was slightly reduced in brain slices from OHT mice and proximal dendrites of post-synaptic dLGN relay neurons, assessed using a Sholl analysis, showed a reduced complexity. Strikingly, these changes occurred prior to major loss of RGCs labeled with the Opn4-Cre mouse, as indicated by immunofluorescence staining of ChR2-expressing retinal neurons. Thus, OHT leads to pre- and post-synaptic functional and structural changes at retinogeniculate synapses. Along with RGC dendritic remodeling and optic nerve transport changes, these retinogeniculate synaptic changes are among the earliest signs of glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Bhandari
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Jennie C Smith
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States.,Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Aaron A Jensen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Lisa Reid
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Toni Goeser
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Shan Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Deepta Ghate
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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44
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Modulation of Spontaneous and Light-Induced Activity in the Rat Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus by General Brain State Alterations under Urethane Anesthesia. Neuroscience 2019; 413:279-293. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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45
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Johnson KP, Zhao L, Kerschensteiner D. A Pixel-Encoder Retinal Ganglion Cell with Spatially Offset Excitatory and Inhibitory Receptive Fields. Cell Rep 2019; 22:1462-1472. [PMID: 29425502 PMCID: PMC5826572 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The spike trains of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the only source of visual information to the brain. Here, we genetically identify an RGC type in mice that functions as a pixel encoder and increases firing to light increments (PixON-RGC). PixON-RGCs have medium-sized dendritic arbors and non-canonical center-surround receptive fields. From their receptive field center, PixON-RGCs receive only excitatory input, which encodes contrast and spatial information linearly. From their receptive field surround, PixON-RGCs receive only inhibitory input, which is temporally matched to the excitatory center input. As a result, the firing rate of PixON-RGCs linearly encodes local image contrast. Spatially offset (i.e., truly lateral) inhibition of PixON-RGCs arises from spiking GABAergic amacrine cells. The receptive field organization of PixON-RGCs is independent of stimulus wavelength (i.e., achromatic). PixON-RGCs project predominantly to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus and likely contribute to visual perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith P Johnson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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46
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Nakagawa Y. Development of the thalamus: From early patterning to regulation of cortical functions. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2019; 8:e345. [PMID: 31034163 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus is a brain structure of the vertebrate diencephalon that plays a central role in regulating diverse functions of the cerebral cortex. In traditional view of vertebrate neuroanatomy, the thalamus includes three regions, dorsal thalamus, ventral thalamus, and epithalamus. Recent molecular embryological studies have redefined the thalamus and the associated axial nomenclature of the diencephalon in the context of forebrain patterning. This new view has provided a useful conceptual framework for studies on molecular mechanisms of patterning, neurogenesis and fate specification in the thalamus as well as the guidance mechanisms for thalamocortical axons. Additionally, the availability of genetic tools in mice has led to important findings on how thalamic development is linked to the development of other brain regions, particularly the cerebral cortex. This article will give an overview of the organization of the embryonic thalamus and how progenitor cells in the thalamus generate neurons that are organized into discrete nuclei. I will then discuss how thalamic development is orchestrated with the development of the cerebral cortex and other brain regions. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: Regional Development Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Nakagawa
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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47
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Hong YK, Burr EF, Sanes JR, Chen C. Heterogeneity of retinogeniculate axon arbors. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 49:948-956. [PMID: 29883007 PMCID: PMC6286704 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The retinogeniculate synapse transmits information from retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in the eye to thalamocortical relay neurons in the visual thalamus, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Studies in mice have identified genetic markers for distinct classes of RGCs encoding different features of the visual space, facilitating the dissection of RGC subtype-specific physiology and anatomy. In this study, we examine the morphological properties of axon arbors of the BD-RGC class of ON-OFF direction selective cells that, by definition, exhibit a stereotypic dendritic arbor and termination pattern in the retina. We find that axon arbors from the same class of RGCs exhibit variations in their structure based on their target region of the dLGN. Our findings suggest that target regions may influence the morphologic and synaptic properties of their afferent inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. Kate Hong
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A
| | - Eliza F. Burr
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A
| | - Joshua R. Sanes
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A
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48
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Román Rosón M, Bauer Y, Kotkat AH, Berens P, Euler T, Busse L. Mouse dLGN Receives Functional Input from a Diverse Population of Retinal Ganglion Cells with Limited Convergence. Neuron 2019; 102:462-476.e8. [PMID: 30799020 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Mouse vision is based on the parallel output of more than 30 functional types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Little is known about how representations of visual information change between retina and dorsolateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the thalamus, the main relay between retina and cortex. Here, we functionally characterized responses of retrogradely labeled dLGN-projecting RGCs and dLGN neurons to the same set of visual stimuli. We found that many of the previously identified functional RGC types innervate dLGN, which maintained a high degree of functional diversity. Using a linear model to assess functional connectivity between RGC types and dLGN neurons, we found that responses of dLGN neurons could be predicted as linear combination of inputs from on average five RGC types, but only two of those had the strongest functional impact. Thus, mouse dLGN receives functional input from a diverse population of RGC types with limited convergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Román Rosón
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yannik Bauer
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience (GSN), LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany
| | - Ann H Kotkat
- Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; ENB Elite Master of Science Program in Neuroengineering, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
| | - Philipp Berens
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Thomas Euler
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Laura Busse
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Division of Neurobiology, Department Biology II, LMU Munich, 82151 Munich, Germany; Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Bernstein Centre for Computational Neuroscience, 82151 Munich, Germany.
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49
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Bienkowski MS, Benavidez NL, Wu K, Gou L, Becerra M, Dong HW. Extrastriate connectivity of the mouse dorsal lateral geniculate thalamic nucleus. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1419-1442. [PMID: 30620046 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian visual system is one of the most well-studied brain systems. Visual information from the retina is relayed to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (LGd). The LGd then projects topographically to primary visual cortex (VISp) to mediate visual perception. In this view, the VISp is a critical network hub where visual information must traverse LGd-VISp circuits to reach higher order "extrastriate" visual cortices, which surround the VISp on its medial and lateral borders. However, decades of conflicting reports in a variety of mammals support or refute the existence of extrastriate LGd connections that can bypass the VISp. Here, we provide evidence of bidirectional extrastriate connectivity with the mouse LGd. Using small, discrete coinjections of anterograde and retrograde tracers within the thalamus and cortex, our cross-validated approach identified bidirectional connectivity between LGd and extrastriate visual cortices. We find robust reciprocal connectivity of the medial extrastriate regions with LGd neurons distributed along the "ventral strip" border with the intergeniculate leaflet. In contrast, LGd input to lateral extrastriate regions is sparse, but lateral extrastriate regions return stronger descending projections to localized LGd areas. We show further evidence that axons from lateral extrastriate regions can overlap onto medial extrastriate-projecting LGd neurons in the ventral strip, providing a putative subcortical LGd pathway for communication between medial and lateral extrastriate regions. Overall, our findings support the existence of extrastriate LGd circuits and provide novel understanding of LGd organization in rodent visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bienkowski
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Nora L Benavidez
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kevin Wu
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Lin Gou
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marlene Becerra
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Hong-Wei Dong
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Center for Integrative Connectomics, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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50
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Aydın Ç, Couto J, Giugliano M, Farrow K, Bonin V. Locomotion modulates specific functional cell types in the mouse visual thalamus. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4882. [PMID: 30451819 PMCID: PMC6242985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The visual system is composed of diverse cell types that encode distinct aspects of the visual scene and may form separate processing channels. Here we present further evidence for that hypothesis whereby functional cell groups in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are differentially modulated during behavior. Using simultaneous multi-electrode recordings in dLGN and primary visual cortex (V1) of behaving mice, we characterized the impact of locomotor activity on response amplitude, variability, correlation and spatiotemporal tuning. Locomotion strongly impacts the amplitudes of dLGN and V1 responses but the effects on variability and correlations are relatively minor. With regards to tunings, locomotion enhances dLGN responses to high temporal frequencies, preferentially affecting ON transient cells and neurons with nonlinear responses to high spatial frequencies. Channel specific modulations may serve to highlight particular visual inputs during active behaviors. Locomotion is known to modulate neuronal firing in both the visual thalamus (LGN) and V1. Here, the authors characterize the LGN modulation in detail and report that neurons with transient ON responses for high spatial frequency stimuli show the strongest gain modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağatay Aydın
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - João Couto
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Michele Giugliano
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium.,Brain Mind Institute, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Karl Farrow
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincent Bonin
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium. .,Department of Biology & Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. .,VIB, 3001, Leuven, Belgium. .,imec, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
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