1
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Kristensen SS, Kesgin K, Jörntell H. High-dimensional cortical signals reveal rich bimodal and working memory-like representations among S1 neuron populations. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1043. [PMID: 39179675 PMCID: PMC11344095 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06743-z] [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: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Complexity is important for flexibility of natural behavior and for the remarkably efficient learning of the brain. Here we assessed the signal complexity among neuron populations in somatosensory cortex (S1). To maximize our chances of capturing population-level signal complexity, we used highly repeatable resolvable visual, tactile, and visuo-tactile inputs and neuronal unit activity recorded at high temporal resolution. We found the state space of the spontaneous activity to be extremely high-dimensional in S1 populations. Their processing of tactile inputs was profoundly modulated by visual inputs and even fine nuances of visual input patterns were separated. Moreover, the dynamic activity states of the S1 neuron population signaled the preceding specific input long after the stimulation had terminated, i.e., resident information that could be a substrate for a working memory. Hence, the recorded high-dimensional representations carried rich multimodal and internal working memory-like signals supporting high complexity in cortical circuitry operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie S Kristensen
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kaan Kesgin
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik Jörntell
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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2
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Tan B, Li H, Zhuo Y, Han L, Mupparapu R, Nanni D, Barathi VA, Palanker D, Schmetterer L, Ling T. Light-evoked deformations in rod photoreceptors, pigment epithelium and subretinal space revealed by prolonged and multilayered optoretinography. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5156. [PMID: 38898002 PMCID: PMC11186825 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49014-5] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Phototransduction involves changes in concentration of ions and other solutes within photoreceptors and in subretinal space, which affect osmotic pressure and the associated water flow. Corresponding expansion and contraction of cellular layers can be imaged using optoretinography (ORG), based on phase-resolved optical coherence tomography (OCT). Until now, ORG could reliably detect only photoisomerization and phototransduction in photoreceptors, primarily in cones under bright stimuli. Here, by employing a phase-restoring subpixel motion correction algorithm, which enables imaging of the nanometer-scale tissue dynamics during minute-long recordings, and unsupervised learning of spatiotemporal patterns, we discover optical signatures of the other retinal structures' response to visual stimuli. These include inner and outer segments of rod photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and subretinal space in general. The high sensitivity of our technique enables detection of the retinal responses to dim stimuli: down to 0.01% bleach level, corresponding to natural levels of scotopic illumination. We also demonstrate that with a single flash, the optoretinogram can map retinal responses across a 12° field of view, potentially replacing multifocal electroretinography. This technique expands the diagnostic capabilities and practical applicability of optoretinography, providing an alternative to electroretinography, while combining structural and functional retinal imaging in the same OCT machine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyao Tan
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huakun Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yueming Zhuo
- Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Le Han
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rajeshkumar Mupparapu
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Davide Nanni
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Veluchamy Amutha Barathi
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Eye ACP), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daniel Palanker
- Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Leopold Schmetterer
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
- SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program, Singapore, Singapore.
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Eye ACP), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Tong Ling
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
- SERI-NTU Advanced Ocular Engineering (STANCE) Program, Singapore, Singapore.
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
- School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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3
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Kawashima R, Matsushita K, Mandai K, Sugita Y, Maruo T, Mizutani K, Midoh Y, Oguchi A, Murakawa Y, Kuniyoshi K, Sato R, Furukawa T, Nishida K, Takai Y. Necl-1/CADM3 regulates cone synapse formation in the mouse retina. iScience 2024; 27:109577. [PMID: 38623325 PMCID: PMC11016759 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109577] [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: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In vertebrates, retinal neural circuitry for visual perception is organized in specific layers. The outer plexiform layer is the first synaptic region in the visual pathway, where photoreceptor synaptic terminals connect with bipolar and horizontal cell processes. However, molecular mechanisms underlying cone synapse formation to mediate OFF pathways remain unknown. This study reveals that Necl-1/CADM3 is localized at S- and S/M-opsin-containing cones and dendrites of type 4 OFF cone bipolar cells (CBCs). In Necl-1-/- mouse retina, synapses between cones and type 4 OFF CBCs were dislocated, horizontal cell distribution became abnormal, and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors were dislocated. Necl-1-/- mice exhibited aberrant short-wavelength-light-elicited signal transmission from cones to OFF CBCs, which was rescued by AMPA receptor potentiator. Additionally, Necl-1-/- mice showed impaired optokinetic responses. These findings suggest that Necl-1 regulates cone synapse formation to mediate OFF cone pathways elicited by short-wavelength light in mouse retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumi Kawashima
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kenji Matsushita
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kenji Mandai
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yuko Sugita
- Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Maruo
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Kiyohito Mizutani
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Midoh
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Akiko Oguchi
- RIKEN-IFOM Joint Laboratory for Cancer Genomics, IMS RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Murakawa
- RIKEN-IFOM Joint Laboratory for Cancer Genomics, IMS RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kazuki Kuniyoshi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka 589-8511, Japan
| | - Ryohei Sato
- Forefront Research Center for Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Takahisa Furukawa
- Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kohji Nishida
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Takai
- Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
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4
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Roy S, Yao X, Rathinavelu J, Field GD. GABAergic Inhibition Controls Receptive Field Size, Sensitivity, and Contrast Preference of Direction Selective Retinal Ganglion Cells Near the Threshold of Vision. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1979232023. [PMID: 38182419 PMCID: PMC10941243 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1979-23.2023] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Information about motion is encoded by direction-selective retinal ganglion cells (DSGCs). These cells reliably transmit this information across a broad range of light levels, spanning moonlight to sunlight. Previous work indicates that adaptation to low light levels causes heterogeneous changes to the direction tuning of ON-OFF (oo)DSGCs and suggests that superior-preferring ON-OFF DSGCs (s-DSGCs) are biased toward detecting stimuli rather than precisely signaling direction. Using a large-scale multielectrode array, we measured the absolute sensitivity of ooDSGCs and found that s-DSGCs are 10-fold more sensitive to dim flashes of light than other ooDSGCs. We measured their receptive field (RF) sizes and found that s-DSGCs also have larger receptive fields than other ooDSGCs; however, the size difference does not fully explain the sensitivity difference. Using a conditional knock-out of gap junctions and pharmacological manipulations, we demonstrate that GABA-mediated inhibition contributes to the difference in absolute sensitivity and receptive field size at low light levels, while the connexin36-mediated gap junction coupling plays a minor role. We further show that under scotopic conditions, ooDSGCs exhibit only an ON response, but pharmacologically removing GABA-mediated inhibition unmasks an OFF response. These results reveal that GABAergic inhibition controls and differentially modulates the responses of ooDSGCs under scotopic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suva Roy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Xiaoyang Yao
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Jay Rathinavelu
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Greg D Field
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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5
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Hsiang JC, Shen N, Soto F, Kerschensteiner D. Distributed feature representations of natural stimuli across parallel retinal pathways. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1920. [PMID: 38429280 PMCID: PMC10907388 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46348-y] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
How sensory systems extract salient features from natural environments and organize them across neural pathways is unclear. Combining single-cell and population two-photon calcium imaging in mice, we discover that retinal ON bipolar cells (second-order neurons of the visual system) are divided into two blocks of four types. The two blocks distribute temporal and spatial information encoding, respectively. ON bipolar cell axons co-stratify within each block, but separate laminarly between them (upper block: diverse temporal, uniform spatial tuning; lower block: diverse spatial, uniform temporal tuning). ON bipolar cells extract temporal and spatial features similarly from artificial and naturalistic stimuli. In addition, they differ in sensitivity to coherent motion in naturalistic movies. Motion information is distributed across ON bipolar cells in the upper and the lower blocks, multiplexed with temporal and spatial contrast, independent features of natural scenes. Comparing the responses of different boutons within the same arbor, we find that axons of all ON bipolar cell types function as computational units. Thus, our results provide insights into the visual feature extraction from naturalistic stimuli and reveal how structural and functional organization cooperate to generate parallel ON pathways for temporal and spatial information in the mammalian retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Chun Hsiang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Ning Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Florentina Soto
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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6
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Günter A, Belhadj S, Seeliger MW, Mühlfriedel R. The Mongolian gerbil as an advanced model to study cone system physiology. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1339282. [PMID: 38333056 PMCID: PMC10850313 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1339282] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In this work, we introduce a diurnal rodent, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) (MG) as an alternative to study retinal cone system physiology and pathophysiology in mice. The cone system is of particular importance, as it provides high-acuity and color vision and its impairment in retinal disorders is thus especially disabling. Despite their nocturnal lifestyle, mice are currently the most popular animals to study cone-related diseases due to the high availability of genetically modified models. However, the potential for successful translation of any cone-related results is limited due to the substantial differences in retinal organization between mice and humans. Alternatively, there are diurnal rodents such as the MG with a higher retinal proportion of cones and a macula-like specialized region for improved visual resolution, the visual streak. The focus of this work was the evaluation of the MG's cone system functionality using full-field electroretinography (ERG), together with a morphological assessment of its retinal/visual streak organization via angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and photoreceptor immunohistochemistry. We found that rod system responses in MGs were comparable or slightly inferior to mice, while in contrast, cone system responses were much larger, more sensitive, and also faster than those in the murine counterparts, and in addition, it was possible to record sizeable ON and OFF ERG components. Morphologically, MG cone photoreceptor opsins were evenly distributed throughout the retina, while mice show a dorsoventral M- and S-opsin gradient. Additionally, each cone expressed a single opsin, in contrast to the typical co-expression of opsins in mice. Particular attention was given to the visual streak region, featuring a higher density of cones, elongated cone and rod outer segments (OSs), and an increased thickness of the inner and outer retinal layers in comparison to peripheral regions. In summary, our data render the MG a supreme model to investigate cone system physiology, pathophysiology, and to validate potential therapeutic strategies in that context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Günter
- Division of Ocular Neurodegeneration, Centre for Ophthalmology, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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7
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Chang L, Ran Y, Yang M, Auferkorte O, Butz E, Hüser L, Haverkamp S, Euler T, Schubert T. Spike desensitisation as a mechanism for high-contrast selectivity in retinal ganglion cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1337768. [PMID: 38269116 PMCID: PMC10806099 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1337768] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the vertebrate retina, several dozens of parallel channels relay information about the visual world to the brain. These channels are represented by the different types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), whose responses are rendered selective for distinct sets of visual features by various mechanisms. These mechanisms can be roughly grouped into synaptic interactions and cell-intrinsic mechanisms, with the latter including dendritic morphology as well as ion channel complement and distribution. Here, we investigate how strongly ion channel complement can shape RGC output by comparing two mouse RGC types, the well-described ON alpha cell and a little-studied ON cell that is EGFP-labelled in the Igfbp5 mouse line and displays an unusual selectivity for stimuli with high contrast. Using patch-clamp recordings and computational modelling, we show that a higher activation threshold and a pronounced slow inactivation of the voltage-gated Na+ channels contribute to the distinct contrast tuning and transient responses in ON Igfbp5 RGCs, respectively. In contrast, such a mechanism could not be observed in ON alpha cells. This study provides an example for the powerful role that the last stage of retinal processing can play in shaping RGC responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Chang
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanli Ran
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, and Institute of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mingpo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Elisabeth Butz
- Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Laura Hüser
- Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Silke Haverkamp
- Max-Planck-Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Computational Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – Caesar, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Euler
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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8
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Park SJ, Lei W, Pisano J, Orpia A, Minehart J, Pottackal J, Hanke-Gogokhia C, Zapadka TE, Clarkson-Paredes C, Popratiloff A, Ross SE, Singer JH, Demb JB. Molecular identification of wide-field amacrine cells in mouse retina that encode stimulus orientation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.28.573580. [PMID: 38234775 PMCID: PMC10793454 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.28.573580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Visual information processing is sculpted by a diverse group of inhibitory interneurons in the retina called amacrine cells. Yet, for most of the >60 amacrine cell types, molecular identities and specialized functional attributes remain elusive. Here, we developed an intersectional genetic strategy to target a group of wide-field amacrine cells (WACs) in mouse retina that co-express the transcription factor Bhlhe22 and the Kappa Opioid Receptor (KOR; B/K WACs). B/K WACs feature straight, unbranched dendrites spanning over 0.5 mm (∼15° visual angle) and produce non-spiking responses to either light increments or decrements. Two-photon dendritic population imaging reveals Ca 2+ signals tuned to the physical orientations of B/K WAC dendrites, signifying a robust structure-function alignment. B/K WACs establish divergent connections with multiple retinal neurons, including unexpected connections with non-orientation-tuned ganglion cells and bipolar cells. Our work sets the stage for future comprehensive investigations of the most enigmatic group of retinal neurons: WACs.
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9
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Boissonnet T, Tripodi M, Asari H. Awake responses suggest inefficient dense coding in the mouse retina. eLife 2023; 12:e78005. [PMID: 37922200 PMCID: PMC10624425 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78005] [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: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The structure and function of the vertebrate retina have been extensively studied across species with an isolated, ex vivo preparation. Retinal function in vivo, however, remains elusive, especially in awake animals. Here, we performed single-unit extracellular recordings in the optic tract of head-fixed mice to compare the output of awake, anesthetized, and ex vivo retinas. While the visual response properties were overall similar across conditions, we found that awake retinal output had in general (1) faster kinetics with less variability in the response latencies; (2) a larger dynamic range; and (3) higher firing activity, by ~20 Hz on average, for both baseline and visually evoked responses. Our modeling analyses further showed that such awake response patterns convey comparable total information but less efficiently, and allow for a linear population decoder to perform significantly better than the anesthetized or ex vivo responses. These results highlight distinct retinal behavior in awake states, in particular suggesting that the retina employs dense coding in vivo, rather than sparse efficient coding as has been often assumed from ex vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Boissonnet
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryMonterotondoItaly
- Collaboration for joint PhD degree between EMBL and Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut des NeurosciencesLa TroncheFrance
| | - Matteo Tripodi
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryMonterotondoItaly
| | - Hiroki Asari
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryMonterotondoItaly
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10
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Kristensen SS, Jörntell H. Differential encoding of temporally evolving color patterns across nearby V1 neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1249522. [PMID: 37920202 PMCID: PMC10618616 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1249522] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereas studies of the V1 cortex have focused mainly on neural line orientation preference, color inputs are also known to have a strong presence among these neurons. Individual neurons typically respond to multiple colors and nearby neurons have different combinations of preferred color inputs. However, the computations performed by V1 neurons on such color inputs have not been extensively studied. Here we aimed to address this issue by studying how different V1 neurons encode different combinations of inputs composed of four basic colors. We quantified the decoding accuracy of individual neurons from multi-electrode array recordings, comparing multiple individual neurons located within 2 mm along the vertical axis of the V1 cortex of the anesthetized rat. We found essentially all V1 neurons to be good at decoding spatiotemporal patterns of color inputs and they did so by encoding them in different ways. Quantitative analysis showed that even adjacent neurons encoded the specific input patterns differently, suggesting a local cortical circuitry organization which tends to diversify rather than unify the neuronal responses to each given input. Using different pairs of monocolor inputs, we also found that V1 neocortical neurons had a diversified and rich color opponency across the four colors, which was somewhat surprising given the fact that rodent retina express only two different types of opsins. We propose that the processing of color inputs in V1 cortex is extensively composed of multiple independent circuitry components that reflect abstract functionalities resident in the internal cortical processing rather than the raw sensory information per se.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henrik Jörntell
- Neural Basis of Sensorimotor Control, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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11
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Mao X, Stanbouly S, Holley J, Pecaut M, Crapo J. Evidence of Spaceflight-Induced Adverse Effects on Photoreceptors and Retinal Function in the Mouse Eye. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087362. [PMID: 37108526 PMCID: PMC10138634 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to characterize acute oxidative damage in ocular structure and retinal function after exposure to spaceflight, and to evaluate the efficacy of an antioxidant in reducing spaceflight-induced changes in the retina. Ten-week-old adult C57BL/6 male mice were flown aboard the ISS on Space-X 24 over 35 days, and returned to Earth alive. The mice received a weekly injection of a superoxide dismutase mimic, MnTnBuOE-2-PyP 5+ (BuOE), before launch and during their stay onboard the ISS. Ground control mice were maintained on Earth under identical environmental conditions. Before the launch, intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using a handheld tonometer and retinal function was evaluated using electroretinogram (ERG). ERG signals were recorded when the mouse eye was under dark-adapted conditions in response to ultraviolet monochromatic light flashes. Within 20 h after splashdown, IOP and ERG assessments were repeated before euthanasia. There were significant increases in body weight for habitat control groups post-flight compared to pre-flight measurements. However, the body weights were similar among flight groups before launch and after splashdown. The IOP measurements were similar between pre- and post-flight groups with no significant differences between BuOE-treated and saline controls. Immunofluorescence evaluation showed increases in retinal oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death after spaceflight. BuOE treatment significantly decreased the level of the oxidative stress biomarker. ERG data showed that the average amplitudes of the a- and b-wave were significantly decreased (39% and 32% by spaceflight, respectively) compared to that of habitat ground controls. These data indicate that spaceflight conditions induce oxidative stress in the retina, which may lead to photoreceptor cell damage and retinal function impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Mao
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Seta Stanbouly
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Jacob Holley
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Michael Pecaut
- Department of Basic Sciences, Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences (BMES), Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - James Crapo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, National Jewish Health, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO 80204, USA
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12
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Smith BJ, McHugh CF, Hirano AA, Brecha NC, Barnes S. Transient and Sustained Ganglion Cell Light Responses Are Differentially Modulated by Intrinsically Produced Reactive Oxygen Species Acting upon Specific Voltage-Gated Na + Channel Isoforms. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2291-2304. [PMID: 36828637 PMCID: PMC10072295 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1723-22.2023] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing spike rates drive greater neuronal energy demand. In turn, mitochondrial ATP production leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can modulate ion channel gating. Does ROS production autoregulate the excitability of a neuron? We investigated the links between retinal ganglion cell (RGC) excitability and spike activity-driven ROS production in male and female mice. Changes to the light-evoked and current-evoked spike patterns of functionally identified αRGC subtypes, along with their NaV channel-gating properties, were recorded during experimentally induced decreases and increases of intracellular ROS. During periods of highest spike rates (e.g., following light onset in ON sustained RGCs and light offset in OFF sustained RGCs), these αRGC subtypes responded to reductions of ROS (induced by catalase or glutathione monoethyl ester) with higher spike rates. Increases in ROS (induced by mercaptosuccinate, antimycin-A, or H2O2) lowered spike rates. In ON and OFF transient RGCs, there were no changes in spike rate during ROS decreases but increased ROS increased spiking. This suggests that endogenous ROS are intrinsic neuromodulators in RGCs having high metabolic demands but not in RGCs with lower energy needs. We identified ROS-induced shifts in the voltage-dependent gating of specific isoforms of NaV channels that account for the modulation of ON and OFF sustained RGC spike frequency by ROS-mediated feedback. ROS-induced changes to NaV channel gating, affecting activation and inactivation kinetics, are consistent with the differing spike pattern alterations observed in RGC subtypes. Cell-autonomous generation of ROS during spiking contributes to tuning the spike patterns of RGCs.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Energy production within retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is accompanied by metabolic by-products harmful to cellular function. How these by-products modulate the excitability of RGCs bears heavily on visual function and the etiology of optic neuropathies. A novel hypothesis of how RGC metabolism can produce automodulation of electrical signaling was tested by identifying the characteristics and biophysical origins of changes to the excitability of RGCs caused by oxidizing by-products in the retina. This impacts our understanding of the pathophysiology of RGC dysfunction, supporting an emerging model in which increases in oxidizing chemical species during energy production, but not necessarily bioenergetic failure, lead to preferential degeneration of specific subtypes of RGCs, yielding loss of different aspects of visual capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Smith
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Cyrus F McHugh
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
| | - Arlene A Hirano
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Nicholas C Brecha
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California 90073
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Steven Barnes
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California 91103
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
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13
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Broersen R, Stuart GJ. In vivo whole-cell recording from morphologically identified mouse superior colliculus neurons. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:101963. [PMID: 36542520 PMCID: PMC9795524 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In vivo whole-cell recording, when combined with morphological characterization after biocytin labeling, is a powerful technique to study subthreshold synaptic processing in cell-type-identified neuronal populations. Here, we describe steps for performing whole-cell recordings in the superior colliculus of urethane-anesthetized mice, a major visual processing region in the rodent brain. We detail two types of visual stimulation techniques: full-field light-emitting diode (LED) flashes and visual stimuli shown on monitors. While we focus on superior colliculus, this protocol is applicable to other brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Broersen
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Greg J Stuart
- Eccles Institute of Neuroscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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14
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Rhim I, Nauhaus I. Joint representations of color and form in mouse visual cortex described by random pooling from rods and cones. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:619-634. [PMID: 36696968 PMCID: PMC9988525 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00138.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial transitions in color can aid any visual perception task, and its neural representation, the "integration of color and form," is thought to begin at primary visual cortex (V1). Integration of color and form is untested in mouse V1, yet studies show that the ventral retina provides the necessary substrate from green-sensitive rods and ultraviolet-sensitive cones. Here, we used two-photon imaging in V1 to measure spatial frequency (SF) tuning along four axes of rod and cone contrast space, including luminance and color. We first reveal that V1's sensitivity to color is similar to luminance, yet average SF tuning is significantly shifted lowpass for color. Next, guided by linear models, we used SF tuning along all four color axes to estimate the proportion of neurons that fall into classic models of color opponency, i.e., "single-," "double-," and "non-opponent." Few neurons (∼6%) fit the criteria for double opponency, which are uniquely tuned for chromatic borders. Most of the population can be described as a unimodal distribution ranging from strongly single-opponent to non-opponent. Consistent with recent studies of the rodent and primate retina, our V1 data are well-described by a simple model in which ON and OFF channels to V1 sample the photoreceptor mosaic randomly. Finally, an analysis comparing color opponency to preferred orientation and retinotopy further validates rods, and not cone M-opsin, as opponent with cone S-opsin in the upper visual field.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to show that mouse V1 is highly sensitive to UV-green color contrast. Furthermore, it provides a detailed characterization of "color opponency," which is the putative neural basis for color perception. Finally, using an extremely simple yet novel random wiring model, we account for our observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Issac Rhim
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
- Center for Perceptual Systems, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States
| | - Ian Nauhaus
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
- Center for Perceptual Systems, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
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15
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Li L, Feng X, Fang F, Miller DA, Zhang S, Zhuang P, Huang H, Liu P, Liu J, Sredar N, Liu L, Sun Y, Duan X, Goldberg JL, Zhang HF, Hu Y. Longitudinal in vivo Ca 2+ imaging reveals dynamic activity changes of diseased retinal ganglion cells at the single-cell level. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2206829119. [PMID: 36409915 PMCID: PMC9889883 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206829119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are heterogeneous projection neurons that convey distinct visual features from the retina to brain. Here, we present a high-throughput in vivo RGC activity assay in response to light stimulation using noninvasive Ca2+ imaging of thousands of RGCs simultaneously in living mice. Population and single-cell analyses of longitudinal RGC Ca2+ imaging reveal distinct functional responses of RGCs and unprecedented individual RGC activity conversions during traumatic and glaucomatous degeneration. This study establishes a foundation for future in vivo RGC function classifications and longitudinal activity evaluations using more advanced imaging techniques and visual stimuli under normal, disease, and neural repair conditions. These analyses can be performed at both the population and single-cell levels using temporal and spatial information, which will be invaluable for understanding RGC pathophysiology and identifying functional biomarkers for diverse optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Li
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Xue Feng
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Fang Fang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha410011, China
| | - David A. Miller
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
| | - Shaobo Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Pei Zhuang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Haoliang Huang
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Pingting Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Junting Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Nripun Sredar
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Liang Liu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Yang Sun
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Xin Duan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94143
| | - Jeffrey L. Goldberg
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
| | - Hao F. Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
| | - Yang Hu
- Spencer Center for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA94304
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16
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Huang W, Xu Q, Su J, Tang L, Hao ZZ, Xu C, Liu R, Shen Y, Sang X, Xu N, Tie X, Miao Z, Liu X, Xu Y, Liu F, Liu Y, Liu S. Linking transcriptomes with morphological and functional phenotypes in mammalian retinal ganglion cells. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111322. [PMID: 36103830 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the brain's gateway to the visual world. They can be classified into different types on the basis of their electrophysiological, transcriptomic, or morphological characteristics. Here, we characterize the transcriptomic, morphological, and functional features of 472 high-quality RGCs using Patch sequencing (Patch-seq), providing functional and morphological annotation of many transcriptomic-defined cell types of a previously established RGC atlas. We show a convergence of different modalities in defining the RGC identity and reveal the degree of correspondence for well-characterized cell types across multimodal data. Moreover, we complement some RGC types with detailed morphological and functional properties. We also identify differentially expressed genes among ON, OFF, and ON-OFF RGCs such as Vat1l, Slitrk6, and Lmo7, providing candidate marker genes for functional studies. Our research suggests that the molecularly distinct clusters may also differ in their roles of encoding visual information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Lei Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Zhao-Zhe Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Chuan Xu
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ruifeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yuhui Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xuan Sang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Nana Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xiaoxiu Tie
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Zhichao Miao
- European Bioinformatics Institute, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Xialin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Jinan University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Yizhi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China; Research Unit of Ocular Development and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Sheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou 510060, China; Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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17
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Kiyama T, Chen CK, Zhang A, Mao CA. Differential Susceptibility of Retinal Neurons to the Loss of Mitochondrial Biogenesis Factor Nrf1. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142203. [PMID: 35883647 PMCID: PMC9321222 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The retina, the accessible part of the central nervous system, has served as a model system to study the relationship between energy utilization and metabolite supply. When the metabolite supply cannot match the energy demand, retinal neurons are at risk of death. As the powerhouse of eukaryotic cells, mitochondria play a pivotal role in generating ATP, produce precursors for macromolecules, maintain the redox homeostasis, and function as waste management centers for various types of metabolic intermediates. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathologies of a number of degenerative retinal diseases. It is well known that photoreceptors are particularly vulnerable to mutations affecting mitochondrial function due to their high energy demand and susceptibility to oxidative stress. However, it is unclear how defective mitochondria affect other retinal neurons. Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (Nrf1) is the major transcriptional regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, and loss of Nrf1 leads to defective mitochondria biogenesis and eventually cell death. Here, we investigated how different retinal neurons respond to the loss of Nrf1. We provide in vivo evidence that the disruption of Nrf1-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis results in a slow, progressive degeneration of all retinal cell types examined, although they present different sensitivity to the deletion of Nrf1, which implicates differential energy demand and utilization, as well as tolerance to mitochondria defects in different neuronal cells. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis on rod-specific Nrf1 deletion uncovered a previously unknown role of Nrf1 in maintaining genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takae Kiyama
- Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 6431 Fannin St., MSB 7.024, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.K.); (A.Z.)
| | - Ching-Kang Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Annie Zhang
- Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 6431 Fannin St., MSB 7.024, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.K.); (A.Z.)
| | - Chai-An Mao
- Ruiz Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 6431 Fannin St., MSB 7.024, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (T.K.); (A.Z.)
- The MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence:
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18
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Huang X, Kim AJ, Acarón Ledesma H, Ding J, Smith RG, Wei W. Visual Stimulation Induces Distinct Forms of Sensitization of On-Off Direction-Selective Ganglion Cell Responses in the Dorsal and Ventral Retina. J Neurosci 2022; 42:4449-4469. [PMID: 35474276 PMCID: PMC9172291 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1391-21.2022] [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: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Experience-dependent modulation of neuronal responses is a key attribute in sensory processing. In the mammalian retina, the On-Off direction-selective ganglion cell (DSGC) is well known for its robust direction selectivity. However, how the On-Off DSGC light responsiveness dynamically adjusts to the changing visual environment is underexplored. Here, we report that On-Off DSGCs tuned to posterior motion direction [i.e. posterior DSGCs (pDSGCs)] in mice of both sexes can be transiently sensitized by prior stimuli. Notably, distinct sensitization patterns are found in dorsal and ventral pDSGCs. Although responses of both dorsal and ventral pDSGCs to dark stimuli (Off responses) are sensitized, only dorsal cells show the sensitization of responses to bright stimuli (On responses). Visual stimulation to the dorsal retina potentiates a sustained excitatory input from Off bipolar cells, leading to tonic depolarization of pDSGCs. Such tonic depolarization propagates from the Off to the On dendritic arbor of the pDSGC to sensitize its On response. We also identified a previously overlooked feature of DSGC dendritic architecture that can support dendritic integration between On and Off dendritic layers bypassing the soma. By contrast, ventral pDSGCs lack a sensitized tonic depolarization and thus do not exhibit sensitization of their On responses. Our results highlight a topographic difference in Off bipolar cell inputs underlying divergent sensitization patterns of dorsal and ventral pDSGCs. Moreover, substantial crossovers between dendritic layers of On-Off DSGCs suggest an interactive dendritic algorithm for processing On and Off signals before they reach the soma.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Visual neuronal responses are dynamically influenced by the prior visual experience. This form of plasticity reflects the efficient coding of the naturalistic environment by the visual system. We found that a class of retinal output neurons, On-Off direction-selective ganglion cells, transiently increase their responsiveness after visual stimulation. Cells located in dorsal and ventral retinas exhibit distinct sensitization patterns because of different adaptive properties of Off bipolar cell signaling. A previously overlooked dendritic morphologic feature of the On-Off direction-selective ganglion cell is implicated in the cross talk between On and Off pathways during sensitization. Together, these findings uncover a topographic difference in the adaptive encoding of upper and lower visual fields and the underlying neural mechanism in the dorsal and ventral retinas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- The Committee on Neurobiology Graduate Program, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Alan Jaehyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Héctor Acarón Ledesma
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Graduate Program in Biophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Jennifer Ding
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
- The Committee on Neurobiology Graduate Program, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Robert G Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637
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19
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Nikonov S, Aravand P, Lyubarsky A, Nikonov R, Luo AJ, Wei Z, Maguire AM, Phelps NT, Shpylchak I, Willett K, Aleman TS, Huckfeldt RM, Ramachandran PS, Bennett J. Restoration of Vision and Retinal Responses After Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Optogenetic Therapy in Blind Dogs. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2022; 11:24. [PMID: 35604672 PMCID: PMC9145127 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.11.5.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Optogenetic gene therapy to render remaining retinal cells light-sensitive in end-stage retinal degeneration is a promising strategy for treatment of individuals blind because of a variety of different inherited retinal degenerations. The clinical trials currently in progress focus on delivery of optogenetic genes to ganglion cells. Delivery of optogenetic molecules to cells in the outer neural retina is predicted to be even more advantageous because it harnesses more of the retinal circuitry. However, this approach has not yet been tested in large animal models. For this reason, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of optogenetic therapy targeting remaining diseased cone photoreceptors in the Rcd1 dog model of retinitis pigmentosa. Methods Imaging and measures of retinal function and functional vision were carried out, as well as terminal studies evaluating multi-electrode array recordings and histology. Results Animals remained healthy and active throughout the study and showed improved retinal and visual function as assessed by electroretinography and visual-evoked potentials, improved navigational vision, and improved function of cone photoreceptors and the downstream retinal circuitry. Conclusions The findings demonstrate that an optogenetic approach targeting the outer retina in a blind large animal model can partially restore vision. Translational Relevance This work has translational relevance because the approach could potentially be extrapolated to treat humans who are totally blind because of retinal degenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergei Nikonov
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Puya Aravand
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arkady Lyubarsky
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Roman Nikonov
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Angela J. Luo
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhangyong Wei
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Albert M. Maguire
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas T. Phelps
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ivan Shpylchak
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Keirnan Willett
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Tomas S. Aleman
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel M. Huckfeldt
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Pavitra S. Ramachandran
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jean Bennett
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics (CAROT) and F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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20
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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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21
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Inhibition, but not excitation, recovers from partial cone loss with greater spatiotemporal integration, synapse density, and frequency. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110317. [PMID: 35108533 PMCID: PMC8865908 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits function in the face of changing inputs, either caused by normal variation in stimuli or by cell death. To maintain their ability to perform essential computations with partial inputs, neural circuits make modifications. Here, we study the retinal circuit’s responses to changes in light stimuli or in photoreceptor inputs by inducing partial cone death in the mature mouse retina. Can the retina withstand or recover from input loss? We find that the excitatory pathways exhibit functional loss commensurate with cone death and with some aspects predicted by partial light stimulation. However, inhibitory pathways recover functionally from lost input by increasing spatiotemporal integration in a way that is not recapitulated by partially stimulating the control retina. Anatomically, inhibitory synapses are upregulated on secondary bipolar cells and output ganglion cells. These findings demonstrate the greater capacity for inhibition, compared with excitation, to modify spatiotemporal processing with fewer cone inputs. Lee et al. find partial cone loss triggers inhibition, but not excitation, to increase spatiotemporal integration, recover contrast gain, and increase synaptic release onto retinal ganglion cells. Natural images filtered by cone-loss receptive fields perceptually match those of controls. Thus, inhibition compensates for fewer cones to potentially preserve perception.
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22
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Abstract
The mouse has dichromatic color vision based on two different types of opsins: short (S)- and middle (M)-wavelength-sensitive opsins with peak sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV; 360 nm) and green light (508 nm), respectively. In the mouse retina, cone photoreceptors that predominantly express the S-opsin are more sensitive to contrasts and denser towards the ventral retina, preferentially sampling the upper part of the visual field. In contrast, the expression of the M-opsin gradually increases towards the dorsal retina that encodes the lower visual field. Such a distinctive retinal organization is assumed to arise from a selective pressure in evolution to efficiently encode the natural scenes. However, natural image statistics of UV light remain largely unexplored. Here we developed a multi-spectral camera to acquire high-quality UV and green images of the same natural scenes, and examined the optimality of the mouse retina to the image statistics. We found that the local contrast and the spatial correlation were both higher in UV than in green for images above the horizon, but lower in UV than in green for those below the horizon. This suggests that the dorsoventral functional division of the mouse retina is not optimal for maximizing the bandwidth of information transmission. Factors besides the coding efficiency, such as visual behavioral requirements, will thus need to be considered to fully explain the characteristic organization of the mouse retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Abballe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Hiroki Asari
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
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23
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Russo G, Helluy X, Behroozi M, Manahan-Vaughan D. Gradual Restraint Habituation for Awake Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Combined With a Sparse Imaging Paradigm Reduces Motion Artifacts and Stress Levels in Rodents. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:805679. [PMID: 34992520 PMCID: PMC8724036 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.805679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging, as a non-invasive technique, offers unique opportunities to assess brain function and connectivity under a broad range of applications, ranging from passive sensory stimulation to high-level cognitive abilities, in awake animals. This approach is confounded, however, by the fact that physical restraint and loud unpredictable acoustic noise must inevitably accompany fMRI recordings. These factors induce marked stress in rodents, and stress-related elevations of corticosterone levels are known to alter information processing and cognition in the rodent. Here, we propose a habituation strategy that spans specific stages of adaptation to restraint, MRI noise, and confinement stress in awake rats and circumvents the need for surgical head restraint. This habituation protocol results in stress levels during awake fMRI that do not differ from pre-handling levels and enables stable image acquisition with very low motion artifacts. For this, rats were gradually trained over a period of three weeks and eighteen training sessions. Stress levels were assessed by analysis of fecal corticosterone metabolite levels and breathing rates. We observed significant drops in stress levels to below pre-handling levels at the end of the habituation procedure. During fMRI in awake rats, after the conclusion of habituation and using a non-invasive head-fixation device, breathing was stable and head motion artifacts were minimal. A task-based fMRI experiment, using acoustic stimulation, conducted 2 days after the end of habituation, resulted in precise whole brain mapping of BOLD signals in the brain, with clear delineation of the expected auditory-related structures. The active discrimination by the animals of the acoustic stimuli from the backdrop of scanner noise was corroborated by significant increases in BOLD signals in the thalamus and reticular formation. Taken together, these data show that effective habituation to awake fMRI can be achieved by gradual and incremental acclimatization to the experimental conditions. Subsequent BOLD recordings, even during superimposed acoustic stimulation, reflect low stress-levels, low motion and a corresponding high-quality image acquisition. Furthermore, BOLD signals obtained during fMRI indicate that effective habituation facilitates selective attention to sensory stimuli that can in turn support the discrimination of cognitive processes in the absence of stress confounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Russo
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Xavier Helluy
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Mehdi Behroozi
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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24
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Hellmer CB, Hall LM, Bohl JM, Sharpe ZJ, Smith RG, Ichinose T. Cholinergic feedback to bipolar cells contributes to motion detection in the mouse retina. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110106. [PMID: 34910920 PMCID: PMC8793255 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal bipolar cells are second-order neurons that transmit basic features of the visual scene to postsynaptic partners. However, their contribution to motion detection has not been fully appreciated. Here, we demonstrate that cholinergic feedback from starburst amacrine cells (SACs) to certain presynaptic bipolar cells via alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs) promotes direction-selective signaling. Patch clamp recordings reveal that distinct bipolar cell types making synapses at proximal SAC dendrites also express α7-nAChRs, producing directionally skewed excitatory inputs. Asymmetric SAC excitation contributes to motion detection in On-Off direction-selective ganglion cells (On-Off DSGCs), predicted by computational modeling of SAC dendrites and supported by patch clamp recordings from On-Off DSGCs when bipolar cell α7-nAChRs is eliminated pharmacologically or by conditional knockout. Altogether, these results show that cholinergic feedback to bipolar cells enhances direction-selective signaling in postsynaptic SACs and DSGCs, illustrating how bipolar cells provide a scaffold for postsynaptic microcircuits to cooperatively enhance retinal motion detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase B Hellmer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Present address: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Leo M Hall
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Present address: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital, Livonia, MI 48154, USA
| | - Jeremy M Bohl
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Zachary J Sharpe
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Robert G Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tomomi Ichinose
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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25
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Kesharwani A, Schwarz K, Dembla E, Dembla M, Schmitz F. Early Changes in Exo- and Endocytosis in the EAE Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis Correlate with Decreased Synaptic Ribbon Size and Reduced Ribbon-Associated Vesicle Pools in Rod Photoreceptor Synapses. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910789. [PMID: 34639129 PMCID: PMC8509850 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that finally leads to demyelination. Demyelinating optic neuritis is a frequent symptom in MS. Recent studies also revealed synapse dysfunctions in MS patients and MS mouse models. We previously reported alterations of photoreceptor ribbon synapses in the experimental auto-immune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS. In the present study, we found that the previously observed decreased imunosignals of photoreceptor ribbons in early EAE resulted from a decrease in synaptic ribbon size, whereas the number/density of ribbons in photoreceptor synapses remained unchanged. Smaller photoreceptor ribbons are associated with fewer docked and ribbon-associated vesicles. At a functional level, depolarization-evoked exocytosis as monitored by optical recording was diminished even as early as on day 7 after EAE induction. Moreover compensatory, post-depolarization endocytosis was decreased. Decreased post-depolarization endocytosis in early EAE correlated with diminished synaptic enrichment of dynamin3. In contrast, basal endocytosis in photoreceptor synapses of resting non-depolarized retinal slices was increased in early EAE. Increased basal endocytosis correlated with increased de-phosphorylation of dynamin1. Thus, multiple endocytic pathways in photoreceptor synapse are differentially affected in early EAE and likely contribute to the observed synapse pathology in early EAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kesharwani
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (K.S.); (E.D.); (M.D.); (F.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Karin Schwarz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (K.S.); (E.D.); (M.D.); (F.S.)
| | - Ekta Dembla
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (K.S.); (E.D.); (M.D.); (F.S.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Mayur Dembla
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (K.S.); (E.D.); (M.D.); (F.S.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Frank Schmitz
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical School, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (K.S.); (E.D.); (M.D.); (F.S.)
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26
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Cao KJ, Lyons EF, Smith BE, Denlinger BL, Ma H, Shirian JD, Kramer RH. Cyclodextrin‐Assisted Delivery of Azobenzene Photoswitches for Uniform and Long‐Term Restoration of Light Responses in Degenerated Retinas of Blind Mice. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202100127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Cao
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3370 USA
| | - Elijah F. Lyons
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
| | - Benjamin E. Smith
- Vision Sciences Graduate Program University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐2020 USA
| | - Bristol L. Denlinger
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3370 USA
| | - Hong Ma
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
| | - Jonathan D. Shirian
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
| | - Richard H. Kramer
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3200 USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐3370 USA
- Vision Sciences Graduate Program University of California Berkeley Berkeley CA 94720‐2020 USA
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27
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van Beest EH, Mukherjee S, Kirchberger L, Schnabel UH, van der Togt C, Teeuwen RRM, Barsegyan A, Meyer AF, Poort J, Roelfsema PR, Self MW. Mouse visual cortex contains a region of enhanced spatial resolution. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4029. [PMID: 34188047 PMCID: PMC8242089 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24311-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The representation of space in mouse visual cortex was thought to be relatively uniform. Here we reveal, using population receptive-field (pRF) mapping techniques, that mouse visual cortex contains a region in which pRFs are considerably smaller. This region, the “focea,” represents a location in space in front of, and slightly above, the mouse. Using two-photon imaging we show that the smaller pRFs are due to lower scatter of receptive-fields at the focea and an over-representation of binocular regions of space. We show that receptive-fields of single-neurons in areas LM and AL are smaller at the focea and that mice have improved visual resolution in this region of space. Furthermore, freely moving mice make compensatory eye-movements to hold this region in front of them. Our results indicate that mice have spatial biases in their visual processing, a finding that has important implications for the use of the mouse model of vision. The representation of space in mouse visual cortex was considered to be relatively uniform. The authors show that mice have improved visual resolution in a cortical region representing a location in space directly in front and slightly above them, showing that the representation of space in mouse visual cortex is non-uniform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enny H van Beest
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sreedeep Mukherjee
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Kirchberger
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ulf H Schnabel
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chris van der Togt
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob R M Teeuwen
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Areg Barsegyan
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arne F Meyer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jasper Poort
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pieter R Roelfsema
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew W Self
- Department of Vision & Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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28
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Zhou M, Liu Y, Ma C. Distinct Nuclear Architecture of Photoreceptors and Light-Induced Behaviors in Different Strains of Mice. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:37. [PMID: 34003922 PMCID: PMC7910638 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.2.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The mouse retina is considered a remarkable model for studying gene functions. However, variations in genetic background influence phenotypes in the mammalian retina. Therefore this study aimed to investigate the effects of the genetic background on the nuclear architecture of photoreceptor cells and the light-induced behavior in C57BL/6, 129 × 1/svj, and ICR mice. Methods The nuclear architecture of photoreceptor cells was investigated using various staining methods on postnatal day 21 (P21). Murine behavior was observed using a light-dark compartment test. Results The outer nuclear layer and retina were significantly thicker in C57BL/6 mice than in 129 × 1/svj mice. The percentage of photoreceptors with one chromocenter was significantly higher in C57BL/6 mice than in 129 × 1/svj and ICR mice on P21. The numbers of photoreceptor cells in C57BL/6 and ICR mice were significantly higher than those in 129 × 1/svj mice. The behavior test revealed that the walking distance and velocity in the light compartment were increased in C57BL/6 and ICR mice compared to 129 × 1/svj mice. Conclusions Different mouse strains had a distinct nuclear architecture of photoreceptors on P21, and C57BL/6 and ICR mice were more active than 129 × 1/svj mice in response to light-induced stress. Translational Relevance This study demonstrates a technique for assessing retinal structures and nuclear architecture in various strains of mice, which are often used to model human retinal disease. Hence, this study may help to elucidate the effect of genetic or disease-induced variance in retinal architecture and the organization of photoreceptor nuclear content on visual function in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxue Zhou
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yutong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Ma
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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29
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Rhim I, Coello-Reyes G, Nauhaus I. Variations in photoreceptor throughput to mouse visual cortex and the unique effects on tuning. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11937. [PMID: 34099749 PMCID: PMC8184960 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90650-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual input to primary visual cortex (V1) depends on highly adaptive filtering in the retina. In turn, isolation of V1 computations requires experimental control of retinal adaptation to infer its spatio-temporal-chromatic output. Here, we measure the balance of input to mouse V1, in the anesthetized setup, from the three main photoreceptor opsins-M-opsin, S-opsin, and rhodopsin-as a function of two stimulus dimensions. The first dimension is the level of light adaptation within the mesopic range, which governs the balance of rod and cone inputs to cortex. The second stimulus dimension is retinotopic position, which governs the balance of S- and M-cone opsin input due to the opsin expression gradient in the retina. The fitted model predicts opsin input under arbitrary lighting environments, which provides a much-needed handle on in-vivo studies of the mouse visual system. We use it here to reveal that V1 is rod-mediated in common laboratory settings yet cone-mediated in natural daylight. Next, we compare functional properties of V1 under rod and cone-mediated inputs. The results show that cone-mediated V1 responds to 2.5-fold higher temporal frequencies than rod-mediated V1. Furthermore, cone-mediated V1 has smaller receptive fields, yet similar spatial frequency tuning. V1 responses in rod-deficient (Gnat1-/-) mice confirm that the effects are due to differences in photoreceptor opsin contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Rhim
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Center for Perceptual Systems, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - G Coello-Reyes
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Center for Perceptual Systems, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - I Nauhaus
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas At Austin, 1 University Station, Stop C7000, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
- Center for Perceptual Systems, University of Texas At Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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30
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Natural binocular depth discrimination behavior in mice explained by visual cortical activity. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2191-2198.e3. [PMID: 33705714 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In mice and other mammals, forebrain neurons integrate right and left eye information to generate a three-dimensional representation of the visual environment. Neurons in the visual cortex of mice are sensitive to binocular disparity,1-3 yet it is unclear whether that sensitivity is linked to the perception of depth.4-8 We developed a natural task based on the classic visual cliff and pole descent tasks to estimate the psychophysical range of mouse depth discrimination.5,9 Mice with binocular vision descended to a near (shallow) surface more often when surrounding far (deep) surfaces were progressively more distant. Occlusion of one eye severely impaired their ability to target the near surface. We quantified the distance at which animals make their decisions to estimate the binocular image displacement of the checkerboard pattern on the near and far surfaces. Then, we assayed the disparity sensitivity of large populations of binocular neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) using two-photon microscopy2 and quantitatively compared this information available in V1 to their behavioral sensitivity. Disparity information in V1 matches the behavioral performance over the range of depths examined and was resistant to changes in binocular alignment. These findings reveal that mice naturally use stereoscopic cues to guide their behavior and indicate a neural basis for this depth discrimination task.
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31
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Voros GB, Dauchy RT, Myers L, Hill SM, Blask DE, Dobek GL. Effects of Daytime Blue-Enriched LED Light on Physiologic Parameters of Three Common Mouse Strains Maintained on an IVC System. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021; 60:259-271. [PMID: 33673880 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-20-000109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Light has been a crucial part of everyday life since the beginning of time. Most recently, light-emitting diode (LED) light enriched in the blue-appearing portion of the visible spectrum (465 to 485 nm), which is more efficient in energy use, is becoming the normal lighting technology in facilities around the world. Previous reports revealed that blue-enriched LED light at day (bLAD) enhances animal health and wellbeing as compared with cool white fluorescent (CWF) lighting. We hypothesized that bLAD, compared with CWF light, has a positive influence on basic physiologic indices such as food consumption, water consumption, weight gain, nesting behavior, complete blood count, and blood chemistry profile. To test this, we allocated 360 mice into equal-sized groups by sex, strain (C3H/HeNCrl, C57BL/6NCrl, BALB/cAnNCrl), lighting conditions, and 6 blood collection time points (n = 5 mice/sex/strain/lighting condition/time point). Food consumption, water consumption, body weight, nest location, and nest type were recorded every 3 d. At the end of the study, all mice were anesthetized over a period of 1 wk and blood was collected via cardiocentesis at 6 different time points. Overall, male C3H/HeNCrl consumed more food under bLAD conditions as compared with CWF conditions; male C3H/HeNCrl had lower cholesterol levels under bLAD conditions than under CWF conditions; female BALB/cAnNCrl mice had higher serum total protein under bLAD conditions than under CWF conditions; female C57BL/6NCrl mice had higher phosphorus levels under bLAD conditions than under CWF conditions, and female C3H/HeNCrl mice had a higher neutrophil count under bLAD conditions as compared with CWF conditions. Although sex and strain differences were found in various physiologic parameters under bLAD as compared with CWF lighting conditions, the differences were minimal. Thus, this study suggests that for these strains of mice, bLAD and CWF are largely equivalent with regard to indices of health and wellbeing, although some differences could affect research outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- George B Voros
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Biological Resources Unit, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio;,
| | - Robert T Dauchy
- Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Leann Myers
- Departments of Biostatistics and Data Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Steven M Hill
- Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - David E Blask
- Departments of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Georgina L Dobek
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
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32
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Khani MH, Gollisch T. Linear and nonlinear chromatic integration in the mouse retina. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1900. [PMID: 33772000 PMCID: PMC7997992 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22042-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The computations performed by a neural circuit depend on how it integrates its input signals into an output of its own. In the retina, ganglion cells integrate visual information over time, space, and chromatic channels. Unlike the former two, chromatic integration is largely unexplored. Analogous to classical studies of spatial integration, we here study chromatic integration in mouse retina by identifying chromatic stimuli for which activation from the green or UV color channel is maximally balanced by deactivation through the other color channel. This reveals nonlinear chromatic integration in subsets of On, Off, and On-Off ganglion cells. Unlike the latter two, nonlinear On cells display response suppression rather than activation under balanced chromatic stimulation. Furthermore, nonlinear chromatic integration occurs independently of nonlinear spatial integration, depends on contributions from the rod pathway and on surround inhibition, and may provide information about chromatic boundaries, such as the skyline in natural scenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Khani
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School for Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Tim Gollisch
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Göttingen, Germany.
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33
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Neurodegeneration, Neuroprotection and Regeneration in the Zebrafish Retina. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030633. [PMID: 33809186 PMCID: PMC8000332 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, involve a gradual loss of neurons in the retina as the disease progresses. Central nervous system neurons are not able to regenerate in mammals, therefore, an often sought after course of treatment for neuronal loss follows a neuroprotective or regenerative strategy. Neuroprotection is the process of preserving the structure and function of the neurons that have survived a harmful insult; while regenerative approaches aim to replace or rewire the neurons and synaptic connections that were lost, or induce regrowth of damaged axons or dendrites. In order to test the neuroprotective effectiveness or the regenerative capacity of a particular agent, a robust experimental model of retinal neuronal damage is essential. Zebrafish are being used more often in this type of study because their eye structure and development is well-conserved between zebrafish and mammals. Zebrafish are robust genetic tools and are relatively inexpensive to maintain. The large array of functional and behavioral tests available in zebrafish makes them an attractive model for neuroprotection studies. Some common insults used to model retinal disease and study neuroprotection in zebrafish include intense light, chemical toxicity and mechanical damage. This review covers the existing retinal neuroprotection and regeneration literature in the zebrafish and highlights their potential for future studies.
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Brodie-Kommit J, Clark BS, Shi Q, Shiau F, Kim DW, Langel J, Sheely C, Ruzycki PA, Fries M, Javed A, Cayouette M, Schmidt T, Badea T, Glaser T, Zhao H, Singer J, Blackshaw S, Hattar S. Atoh7-independent specification of retinal ganglion cell identity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/11/eabe4983. [PMID: 33712461 PMCID: PMC7954457 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) relay visual information from the eye to the brain. RGCs are the first cell type generated during retinal neurogenesis. Loss of function of the transcription factor Atoh7, expressed in multipotent early neurogenic retinal progenitors leads to a selective and essentially complete loss of RGCs. Therefore, Atoh7 is considered essential for conferring competence on progenitors to generate RGCs. Despite the importance of Atoh7 in RGC specification, we find that inhibiting apoptosis in Atoh7-deficient mice by loss of function of Bax only modestly reduces RGC numbers. Single-cell RNA sequencing of Atoh7;Bax-deficient retinas shows that RGC differentiation is delayed but that the gene expression profile of RGC precursors is grossly normal. Atoh7;Bax-deficient RGCs eventually mature, fire action potentials, and incorporate into retinal circuitry but exhibit severe axonal guidance defects. This study reveals an essential role for Atoh7 in RGC survival and demonstrates Atoh7-dependent and Atoh7-independent mechanisms for RGC specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian S Clark
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Qing Shi
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Fion Shiau
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Langel
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Catherine Sheely
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michel Fries
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Tiffany Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tudor Badea
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Research and Development Institute, Transylvania University of Brasov, School of Medicine, Brasov, Romania
| | - Tom Glaser
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Singer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Reh M, Lee MJ, Schmierer J, Zeck G. Spatial and temporal resolution of optogenetically recovered vision in ChR2-transduced mouse retina. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 33545694 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/abe39a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) represent an attractive target in vision restoration strategies, because they undergo little degeneration compared to other retinal neurons. Here we investigated the temporal and spatial resolution in adult photoreceptor-degenerated (rd10) mouse retinas, where RGCs have been transduced with the optogenetic actuator channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). APPROACH The RGC spiking activity was recorded continuously with a CMOS-based microelectrode array during a variety of photostimulation protocols. The temporal resolution was assessed through Gaussian white noise stimuli and evaluated using a linear-nonlinear-Poisson model. Spatial sensitivity was assessed upon photostimulation with single rectangular pulses stepped across the retina and upon stimulation with alternating gratings of different spatial frequencies. Spatial sensitivity was estimated using logistic regression or by evaluating the spiking activity of independent RGCs. MAIN RESULTS The temporal resolution after photostimulation displayed an about ten times faster kinetics as compared to physiological filters in wild-type RGCs. The optimal spatial resolution estimated using the logistic regression model was 10 µm and 87 µm based on the population response. These values correspond to an equivalent acuity of 1.7 or 0.2 cycles per degree, which is better than expected from the size of RGCs' optogenetic receptive fields. SIGNIFICANCE The high temporal and spatial resolution obtained by photostimulation of optogenetically transduced RGCs indicate that high acuity vision restoration may be obtained by photostimulation of appropriately modified RGCs in photoreceptor-degenerated retinas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Reh
- Neurophysics, NMI, Markwiesenstraße 55, Reutlingen, 72770, GERMANY
| | - Meng-Jung Lee
- Neurophysics, NMI, Markwiesenstraße 55, Reutlingen, 72770, GERMANY
| | - Julia Schmierer
- Neurophysics, NMI, Markwiesenstraße 55, Reutlingen, 72770, GERMANY
| | - Guenther Zeck
- Neurophysics, NMI, Markwiesenstraße 55, Reutlingen, 72770, GERMANY
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Vit JP, Fuchs DT, Angel A, Levy A, Lamensdorf I, Black KL, Koronyo Y, Koronyo-Hamaoui M. Color and contrast vision in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease using a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1255. [PMID: 33441984 PMCID: PMC7806734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-80988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We introduce a novel visual-stimuli four-arm maze (ViS4M) equipped with spectrally- and intensity-controlled LED emitters and dynamic grayscale objects that relies on innate exploratory behavior to assess color and contrast vision in mice. Its application to detect visual impairments during normal aging and over the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is evaluated in wild-type (WT) and transgenic APPSWE/PS1∆E9 murine models of AD (AD+) across an array of irradiance, chromaticity, and contrast conditions. Substantial color and contrast-mode alternation deficits appear in AD+ mice at an age when hippocampal-based memory and learning is still intact. Profiling of timespan, entries and transition patterns between the different arms uncovers variable AD-associated impairments in contrast sensitivity and color discrimination, reminiscent of tritanomalous defects documented in AD patients. Transition deficits are found in aged WT mice in the absence of alternation decline. Overall, ViS4M is a versatile, controlled device to measure color and contrast-related vision in aged and diseased mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Vit
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.,Biobehavioral Research Core, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ariel Angel
- Pharmaseed Ltd., 9 Hamazmera St., 74047, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Aharon Levy
- Pharmaseed Ltd., 9 Hamazmera St., 74047, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | | | - Keith L Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yosef Koronyo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 127 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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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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Pottackal J, Singer JH, Demb JB. Receptoral Mechanisms for Fast Cholinergic Transmission in Direction-Selective Retinal Circuitry. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:604163. [PMID: 33324168 PMCID: PMC7726240 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.604163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Direction selectivity represents an elementary sensory computation that can be related to underlying synaptic mechanisms. In mammalian retina, direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) respond strongly to visual motion in a "preferred" direction and weakly to motion in the opposite, "null" direction. The DS mechanism depends on starburst amacrine cells (SACs), which provide null direction-tuned GABAergic inhibition and untuned cholinergic excitation to DSGCs. GABAergic inhibition depends on conventional synaptic transmission, whereas cholinergic excitation apparently depends on paracrine (i.e., non-synaptic) transmission. Despite its paracrine mode of transmission, cholinergic excitation is more transient than GABAergic inhibition, yielding a temporal difference that contributes essentially to the DS computation. To isolate synaptic mechanisms that generate the distinct temporal properties of cholinergic and GABAergic transmission from SACs to DSGCs, we optogenetically stimulated SACs while recording postsynaptic currents (PSCs) from DSGCs in mouse retina. Direct recordings from channelrhodopsin-2-expressing (ChR2+) SACs during quasi-white noise (WN) (0-30 Hz) photostimulation demonstrated precise, graded optogenetic control of SAC membrane current and potential. Linear systems analysis of ChR2-evoked PSCs recorded in DSGCs revealed cholinergic transmission to be faster than GABAergic transmission. A deconvolution-based analysis showed that distinct postsynaptic receptor kinetics fully account for the temporal difference between cholinergic and GABAergic transmission. Furthermore, GABAA receptor blockade prolonged cholinergic transmission, identifying a new functional role for GABAergic inhibition of SACs. Thus, fast cholinergic transmission from SACs to DSGCs arises from at least two distinct mechanisms, yielding temporal properties consistent with conventional synapses despite its paracrine nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Pottackal
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Joshua H. Singer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan B. Demb
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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Kim T, Shen N, Hsiang JC, Johnson KP, Kerschensteiner D. Dendritic and parallel processing of visual threats in the retina control defensive responses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/47/eabc9920. [PMID: 33208370 PMCID: PMC7673819 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc9920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Approaching predators cast expanding shadows (i.e., looming) that elicit innate defensive responses in most animals. Where looming is first detected and how critical parameters of predatory approaches are extracted are unclear. In mice, we identify a retinal interneuron (the VG3 amacrine cell) that responds robustly to looming, but not to related forms of motion. Looming-sensitive calcium transients are restricted to a specific layer of the VG3 dendrite arbor, which provides glutamatergic input to two ganglion cells (W3 and OFFα). These projection neurons combine shared excitation with dissimilar inhibition to signal approach onset and speed, respectively. Removal of VG3 amacrine cells reduces the excitation of W3 and OFFα ganglion cells and diminishes defensive responses of mice to looming without affecting other visual behaviors. Thus, the dendrites of a retinal interneuron detect visual threats, divergent circuits downstream extract critical threat parameters, and these retinal computations initiate an innate survival behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Kim
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - N Shen
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - J-C Hsiang
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - K P Johnson
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - D Kerschensteiner
- John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
- Department of Neurosciences, 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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Fairless R, Williams SK, Katiyar R, Maxeiner S, Schmitz F, Diem R. ERG Responses in Mice with Deletion of the Synaptic Ribbon Component RIBEYE. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:37. [PMID: 32437548 PMCID: PMC7405791 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.5.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To determine the influence of RIBEYE deletion and the resulting absence of synaptic ribbons on retinal light signaling by electroretinography. Methods Full-field flash electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded in RIBEYE knock-out (KO) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice under photopic and scotopic conditions, with oscillatory potentials (OPs) extracted by digital filtering. Flicker ERGs and ERGs following intravitreal injection of pharmacological agents were also obtained under scotopic conditions. Results The a-wave amplitudes were unchanged between RIBEYE KO and WT mice; however, the b-wave amplitudes were reduced in KOs under scotopic, but not photopic, conditions. Increasing stimulation frequency led to a greater reduction in RIBEYE KO b-wave amplitudes compared with WTs. Furthermore, we observed prominent, supernormal OPs in RIBEYE KO mice in comparison with WT mice. Following intravitreal injections with l-2 amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid and cis-2,3 piperidine dicarboxylic acid to block ON and OFF responses at photoreceptor synapses, OPs were completely abolished in both mice types, indicating a synaptic origin of the prominent OPs in the KOs. Conversely, tetrodotoxin treatment to block voltage-gated Na+ channels/spiking neurons did not differentially affect OPs in WT and KO mice. Conclusions The decreased scotopic b-wave and decreased responses to increased stimulation frequencies are consistent with signaling malfunctions at photoreceptor and inner retinal ribbon synapses. Because phototransduction in the photoreceptor outer segments is unaffected in the KOs, their supernormal OPs presumably result from a dysfunction in retinal synapses. The relatively mild ERG phenotype in KO mice, particularly in the photopic range, is probably caused by compensatory mechanisms in retinal signaling pathways.
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Abstract
A retina completely devoid of topographic variations would be homogenous, encoding any given feature uniformly across the visual field. In a naive view, such homogeneity would appear advantageous. However, it is now clear that retinal topographic variations exist across mammalian species in a variety of forms and patterns. We briefly review some of the more established topographic variations in retinas of different mammalian species and focus on the recent discovery that cells belonging to a single neuronal subtype may exhibit distinct topographic variations in distribution, morphology, and even function. We concentrate on the mouse retina-originally viewed as homogenous-in which genetic labeling of distinct neuronal subtypes and other advanced techniques have revealed unexpected anatomical and physiological topographic variations. Notably, different subtypes reveal different patterns of nonuniformity, which may even be opposite or orthogonal to one another. These topographic variations in the encoding of visual space should be considered when studying visual processing in the retina and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Sophie Heukamp
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
| | - Rebekah Anne Warwick
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
| | - Michal Rivlin-Etzion
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; , ,
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Bonezzi PJ, Tarchick MJ, Renna JM. Ex vivo electroretinograms made easy: performing ERGs using 3D printed components. J Physiol 2020; 598:4821-4842. [PMID: 32886799 DOI: 10.1113/jp280014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Rod and cone photoreceptors convert light into electrochemical signals that are transferred to second order cells, initiating image-forming visual processing. Electroretinograms (ERGs) can detect the associated light-induced extracellular transretinal events, allowing for physiological assessment of cellular activity from morphologically intact retinas. We outline a method for economically configuring a traditional patch-clamp rig for performing high signal-to-noise ex vivo ERGs. We accomplish this by incorporating various 3D printed components and by modifying existing light pathways in a typical patch-clamp rig. This methodology provides an additional set of tools to labs interested in studying the physiological function of neuronal populations in isolated retinal tissue. ABSTRACT Rod and cone photoreceptors of the retina are responsible for the initial stages in vision and convey sensory information regarding our visual world across a wide range of lighting conditions. These photoreceptors hyperpolarize in the presence of light and subsequently transmit signals to second-order bipolar and horizontal cells. The electrical components of these events are experimentally detectable, and in conjunction with pharmacological agents, can be further separated into their respective cellular contributions using electroretinograms (ERGs). Extracellular activity from populations of rods and cones generate the negative-going a-wave, while ON-bipolar cells generate positive-going b-waves. ERGs can be performed in vivo or alternatively using an ex vivo configuration, where retinas are isolated and transretinal photovoltages are recorded at high signal-to-noise ratios. However, most ERG set-ups require their own unique set of tools. We demonstrate how, at low cost, to reconfigure a typical patch-clamp rig for ERG recordings. The bulk of these modifications require implementation of various 3D printed components, which can alternatively aid in generating a stand-alone ERG set-up without a patch-rig. Further, we discuss how to configure an ERG system without a patch-clamp rig. Compared to in vivo ERGs, these are superior when measuring small responses, such as those that are cone-evoked or those from immature mouse retinae. This recording configuration provides high signal-to-noise detection of a-waves (300-600 µV) and b-waves (1-3 mV), and is ultimately capable of discerning small (1-2 µV) photovoltages from noise. These quick and economical modifications allow researchers to equip their technical arsenal with an interchangeable patch-clamp/ERG system.
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Gisbert S, Feldkaemper M, Wahl S, Schaeffel F. Interactions of cone abundancies, opsin expression, and environmental lighting with emmetropization in chickens. Exp Eye Res 2020; 200:108205. [PMID: 32866531 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108205] [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: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We had previously found that M to L cone abundancy ratios in the chicken retina are correlated with vitreous chamber depth and refractive state in chickens eyes, when they have normal visual exposure but not when they develop deprivation myopia. The finding suggests an interaction between cone abundancies and emmetropization. In the current study, we analyzed how stable this correlation was against changes in environmental variables and strain differences. We found that the correlation was preserved in two chicken strains, as long as they were raised in the laboratory facilities and not in the animal facilities of the institute. To determine the reasons for this difference, spectral and temporal lighting parameters were better adjusted in both places, whereas temperature, humidity, food, diurnal lighting cycles and illuminance were already matched. It was also verified that both strains of chickens had the same cone opsin amino acid sequences. The correlation between M to L cone abundancy and ocular biometry is highly susceptible to changes in environmental variables. Yet undetermined differences in lighting parameters were the most likely reasons. Other striking findings were that green cone opsin mRNA expression was downregulated when deprivation myopia developed. Similarly, red opsin mRNA was downregulated when chicks wore red spectacles, which made them more hyperopic. In summary, our experiments show that photoreceptor abundancies, opsin expression, and the responses to deprivation, and therefore emmetropization, are surprisingly dependent on subtle differences in lighting parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Gisbert
- Section of Neurobiology of the Eye, Ophthalmic Research Institute, Elfriede Aulhorn Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marita Feldkaemper
- Section of Neurobiology of the Eye, Ophthalmic Research Institute, Elfriede Aulhorn Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Siegfried Wahl
- ZEISS Vision Science Lab, Ophthalmic Research Institute, Elfriede Aulhorn Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Frank Schaeffel
- Section of Neurobiology of the Eye, Ophthalmic Research Institute, Elfriede Aulhorn Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany; ZEISS Vision Science Lab, Ophthalmic Research Institute, Elfriede Aulhorn Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany; Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Mittlere Strasse 91, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
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Care RA, Kastner DB, De la Huerta I, Pan S, Khoche A, Della Santina L, Gamlin C, Santo Tomas C, Ngo J, Chen A, Kuo YM, Ou Y, Dunn FA. Partial Cone Loss Triggers Synapse-Specific Remodeling and Spatial Receptive Field Rearrangements in a Mature Retinal Circuit. Cell Rep 2020; 27:2171-2183.e5. [PMID: 31091454 PMCID: PMC6624172 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Resilience of neural circuits has been observed in the persistence of function despite neuronal loss. In vision, acuity and sensitivity can be retained after 50% loss of cones. While neurons in the cortex can remodel after input loss, the contributions of cell-type-specific circuits to resilience are unknown. Here, we study the effects of partial cone loss in mature mouse retina where cell types and connections are known. At first-order synapses, bipolar cell dendrites remodel and synaptic proteins diminish at sites of input loss. Sites of remaining inputs preserve synaptic proteins. Second-order synapses between bipolar and ganglion cells remain stable. Functionally, ganglion cell spatio-temporal receptive fields retain center-surround structure following partial cone loss. We find evidence for slower temporal filters and expanded receptive field surrounds, derived mainly from inhibitory inputs. Surround expansion is absent in partially stimulated control retina. Results demonstrate functional resilience to input loss beyond pre-existing mechanisms in control retina. Care et al. find that photoreceptor ablation causes structural rearrangement of bipolar cell input synapses while output synapses endure. Functionally, recipient ganglion cells show altered receptive field sizes, an effect not seen after partial stimulation of control retina, demonstrating de novo changes that occur in inhibitory circuitry after photoreceptor loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Care
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David B Kastner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Irina De la Huerta
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Simon Pan
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Atrey Khoche
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Luca Della Santina
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Clare Gamlin
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Chad Santo Tomas
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Jenita Ngo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Allen Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Yien-Ming Kuo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Yvonne Ou
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Felice A Dunn
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Nadal-Nicolás FM, Kunze VP, Ball JM, Peng BT, Krishnan A, Zhou G, Dong L, Li W. True S-cones are concentrated in the ventral mouse retina and wired for color detection in the upper visual field. eLife 2020; 9:e56840. [PMID: 32463363 PMCID: PMC7308094 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Color, an important visual cue for survival, is encoded by comparing signals from photoreceptors with different spectral sensitivities. The mouse retina expresses a short wavelength-sensitive and a middle/long wavelength-sensitive opsin (S- and M-opsin), forming opposing, overlapping gradients along the dorsal-ventral axis. Here, we analyzed the distribution of all cone types across the entire retina for two commonly used mouse strains. We found, unexpectedly, that 'true S-cones' (S-opsin only) are highly concentrated (up to 30% of cones) in ventral retina. Moreover, S-cone bipolar cells (SCBCs) are also skewed towards ventral retina, with wiring patterns matching the distribution of true S-cones. In addition, true S-cones in the ventral retina form clusters, which may augment synaptic input to SCBCs. Such a unique true S-cone and SCBC connecting pattern forms a basis for mouse color vision, likely reflecting evolutionary adaptation to enhance color coding for the upper visual field suitable for mice's habitat and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M Nadal-Nicolás
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Vincent P Kunze
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - John M Ball
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Brian T Peng
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Akshay Krishnan
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Gaohui Zhou
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Lijin Dong
- Genetic Engineering Facility, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Wei Li
- Retinal Neurophysiology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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Chen NS, Ingram NT, Frederiksen R, Sampath AP, Chen J, Fain GL. Diminished Cone Sensitivity in cpfl3 Mice Is Caused by Defective Transducin Signaling. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:26. [PMID: 32315379 PMCID: PMC7401474 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.4.26] [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] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Cone photoreceptor function loss 3 (Gnat2cpfl3/cpfl3 or cpfl3) is a mouse model commonly used as a functional cones null from a naturally occurring mutation in the α-subunit of cone transducin (Gnat2). We nevertheless detected robust cone-mediated light responses from cpfl3 animals, which we now explore. Methods Recordings were made from whole retina and from identified cones with whole-cell patch clamp in retinal slices. Relative levels of GNAT2 protein and numbers of cones in isolated retinas were compared between cpfl3, rod transducin knockout (Gnat1-/-), cpfl3/Gnat1-/- double mutants, and control C57Bl/6J age-matched mice at 4, 9, and 14 weeks of age. Results Cones from cpfl3 and cpfl3/Gnat1-/- mice 2 to 3 months of age displayed normal dark currents but greatly reduced sensitivity and amplification constants. Responses decayed more slowly than in control (C57Bl/6J) mice, indicating an altered mechanism of inactivation. At dim light intensities rod responses could be recorded from cpfl3 cones, indicating intact rod/cone gap junctions. The cpfl3 and cpfl3/Gnat1-/- mice express two-fold less GNAT2 protein compared with C57 at 4 weeks, and a four-fold decrease by 14 weeks. This is accompanied by a small decrease in the number of cones. Conclusions Cplf3 cones can respond to light with currents of normal amplitude and cannot be assumed to be a Gnat2 null. The decreased sensitivity and amplification rate of cones is not explained by a reduction in GNAT2 protein level, but instead by abnormal interactions of the mutant transducin with rhodopsin and the effector molecule, cGMP phosphodiesterase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie S. Chen
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Norianne T. Ingram
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California,United States
| | - Rikard Frederiksen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Alapakkam P. Sampath
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Jeannie Chen
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Gordon L. Fain
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California,United States
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Strickland R, Landis EG, Pardue MT. Short-Wavelength (Violet) Light Protects Mice From Myopia Through Cone Signaling. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:13. [PMID: 32049342 PMCID: PMC7326482 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.2.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Exposure to short-wavelength light influences refractive development and inhibits myopic development in many animal models. Retinal mechanisms underlying this response remain unknown. This study used a mouse model of lens-induced myopia to evaluate the effect of different wavelength light on refractive development and dopamine levels in the retina. A possible retinal pathway is tested using a mutant mouse with dysfunctional cones. Methods Wild-type C57BL/6J (WT) and ALS/LtJ/Gnat2cpfl3 (Gnat2−/−) mice were exposed to one of three different light conditions beginning at postnatal day 28: broad-spectrum “white” (420-680 nm), medium wavelength “green” (525 ± 40 nm), and short wavelength “violet” (400 ± 20 nm). One-half of the mice received hyperopic lens defocus. All mice were exposed to the light for 4 weeks; animals were measured weekly for refractive error and axial parameters. Retinal dopamine and the dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were measured by HPLC. Results In WT mice, short-wavelength violet light induced hyperopia and violet light inhibited lens-induced myopia when compared with mice exposed to white light. Hyperopia could be attributed to shallower vitreous chambers in WT animals. There were no changes in the levels of dopamine or its metabolite. In Gnat2−/− mice, violet light did not induce hyperopia or inhibit lens-induced myopia. Conclusions These findings show that short-wavelength light slows refractive eye growth, producing hyperopic responses in mice and inhibiting lens-induced myopia. The lack of inhibition in mice with dysfunctional cones suggests that cone signaling plays a role in the hyperopic response to short-wavelength (violet) light.
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Dembla E, Dembla M, Maxeiner S, Schmitz F. Synaptic ribbons foster active zone stability and illumination-dependent active zone enrichment of RIM2 and Cav1.4 in photoreceptor synapses. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5957. [PMID: 32249787 PMCID: PMC7136232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62734-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rod photoreceptor synapses use large, ribbon-type active zones for continuous synaptic transmission during light and dark. Since ribbons are physically connected to the active zones, we asked whether illumination-dependent changes of ribbons influence Cav1.4/RIM2 protein clusters at the active zone and whether these illumination-dependent effects at the active zone require the presence of the synaptic ribbon. We found that synaptic ribbon length and the length of presynaptic Cav1.4/RIM2 clusters are tightly correlated. Dark-adaptation did not change the number of ribbons and active zone puncta. However, mean ribbon length and length of presynaptic Cav1.4/RIM2 clusters increased significantly during dark-adaptation when tonic exocytosis is highest. In the present study, we identified by the analyses of synaptic ribbon-deficient RIBEYE knockout mice that synaptic ribbons are (1) needed to stabilize Cav1.4/RIM2 at rod photoreceptor active zones and (2) are required for the darkness-induced active zone enrichment of Cav1.4/RIM2. These data propose a role of the ribbon in active zone stabilization and suggest a homeostatic function of the ribbon in illumination-dependent active zone remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekta Dembla
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Saarland University, Medical School, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
| | - Mayur Dembla
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Saarland University, Medical School, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Maxeiner
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Saarland University, Medical School, 66421, Homburg, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Saarland University, AG Krasteva-Christ, 66421, Homburg, Germany
| | - Frank Schmitz
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Department of Neuroanatomy, Saarland University, Medical School, 66421, Homburg, Germany.
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Feldmann M, Beckmann D, Eysel UT, Manahan-Vaughan D. Early Loss of Vision Results in Extensive Reorganization of Plasticity-Related Receptors and Alterations in Hippocampal Function That Extend Through Adulthood. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:892-905. [PMID: 30535137 PMCID: PMC6319173 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although by adulthood cortical structures and their capacity for processing sensory information have become established and stabilized, under conditions of cortical injury, or sensory deprivation, rapid reorganization occurs. Little is known as to the impact of this kind of adaptation on cellular processes related to memory encoding. However, imaging studies in humans suggest that following loss or impairment of a sensory modality, not only cortical but also subcortical structures begin to reorganize. It is likely that these processes are supported by neurotransmitter receptors that enable synaptic and cortical plasticity. Here, we explored to what extent the expression of plasticity-related proteins (GABA-A, GABA-B, GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2B) is altered following early vision loss, and whether this impacts on hippocampal function. We observed that in the period of 2-4 months postnatally in CBA/J-mice that experience hereditary postnatal retinal degeneration, systematic changes of GABA-receptor and NMDA-receptor subunit expression occurred that emerged first in the hippocampus and developed later in the cortex, compared to control mice that had normal vision. Changes were accompanied by significant impairments in hippocampal long-term potentiation and hippocampus-dependent learning. These data indicate that during cortical adaptation to early loss of vision, hippocampal information processing is compromised, and this status impacts on the acquisition of spatial representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Feldmann
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniela Beckmann
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ulf T Eysel
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Sonoda T, Okabe Y, Schmidt TM. Overlapping morphological and functional properties between M4 and M5 intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:1028-1040. [PMID: 31691279 PMCID: PMC7007370 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Multiple retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types in the mouse retina mediate pattern vision by responding to specific features of the visual scene. The M4 and M5 melanopsin-expressing, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) subtypes are two RGC types that are thought to play major roles in pattern vision. The M4 ipRGCs overlap in population with ON-alpha RGCs, while M5 ipRGCs were recently reported to exhibit opponent responses to different wavelengths of light (color opponency). Despite their seemingly distinct roles in visual processing, previous reports have suggested that these two populations may exhibit overlap in their morphological and functional properties, which calls into question whether these are in fact distinct RGC types. Here, we show that M4 and M5 ipRGCs are distinct morphological classes of ipRGCs, but they cannot be exclusively differentiated based on color opponency and dendritic morphology as previously reported. Instead, we find that M4 and M5 ipRGCs can only be distinguished based on soma size and the number of dendritic branch points in combination with SMI-32 immunoreactivity. These results have important implications for clearly defining RGC types and their roles in visual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Sonoda
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yudai Okabe
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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