Frontiers in Ophthalmology,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
3
Published: April 20, 2023
The
retinal
neural
circuit
is
intricately
wired
for
efficient
processing
of
visual
signals.
This
well-supported
by
the
specialized
connections
between
neurons
at
both
functional
and
ultrastructural
levels.
Through
3D
electron
microscopic
(EM)
reconstructions
circuits
we
have
learnt
much
about
specificities
within
layers
including
new
insights
into
how
establish
perform
sophisticated
computations.
mini-review
will
summarize
circuitry
provide
details
novel
EM
connectomics
has
brought
our
understanding
circuitry.
We
also
discuss
unresolved
questions
that
can
be
addressed
in
future.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
13(1)
Published: May 23, 2022
From
mouse
to
primate,
there
is
a
striking
discontinuity
in
our
current
understanding
of
the
neural
coding
motion
direction.
In
non-primate
mammals,
directionally
selective
cell
types
and
circuits
are
signature
feature
retina,
situated
at
earliest
stage
visual
process.
primates,
by
contrast,
direction
selectivity
hallmark
processing
areas
cortex,
but
has
not
been
found
despite
significant
effort.
Here
we
combined
functional
recordings
light-evoked
responses
connectomic
reconstruction
identify
diverse
direction-selective
macaque
monkey
retina
with
distinctive
physiological
properties
synaptic
motifs.
This
circuitry
includes
an
ON-OFF
ganglion
type,
spiking,
polyaxonal
amacrine
starburst
cell,
all
which
show
selectivity.
Moreover,
discovered
that
cells
possess
strong,
non-GABAergic,
antagonistic
surround
mediated
input
from
excitatory
bipolar
critical
for
generation
radial
sensitivity
these
cells.
Our
findings
open
door
investigation
precortical
computes
primate
system.
Nature Neuroscience,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: April 15, 2025
GABA
(γ-aminobutyric
acid)
is
the
primary
inhibitory
neurotransmitter
in
mammalian
central
nervous
system.
GABAergic
neuronal
types
play
important
roles
neural
processing
and
etiology
of
neurological
disorders;
however,
there
no
comprehensive
understanding
their
functional
diversity.
Here
we
perform
two-photon
imaging
release
inner
plexiform
layer
male
female
mice
retinae
(8-16
weeks
old)
using
sensor
iGABASnFR2.
By
applying
varied
light
stimuli
to
isolated
retinae,
reveal
over
40
different
GABA-releasing
neuron
types.
Individual
show
layer-specific
visual
encoding
within
sublayers.
Synaptic
input
output
sites
are
aligned
along
specific
retinal
orientations.
The
combination
cell
type-specific
spatial
structure
unique
kinetics
enables
neurons
sculpt
excitatory
signals
response
a
wide
range
behaviorally
relevant
motion
structures.
Our
findings
emphasize
importance
diversity
intricate
specialization
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
13(1)
Published: Sept. 26, 2022
Motion
sensing
is
a
critical
aspect
of
vision.
We
studied
the
representation
motion
in
mouse
retinal
bipolar
cells
and
found
that
some
are
radially
direction
selective,
preferring
origin
small
object
trajectories.
Using
glutamate
sensor,
we
directly
observed
synaptic
output
there
radial
selective
non-selective
cell
types,
majority
being
selectivity
relies
on
properties
center-surround
receptive
field.
used
these
fields
along
with
connectomics
to
design
biophysical
models
downstream
cells.
The
additional
experiments
demonstrated
pass
excitation
starburst
amacrine
cells,
which
contributes
their
directional
tuning.
As
provide
most
ganglion
may
contribute
processing
throughout
visual
system.
Cell Reports,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
42(2), P. 112030 - 112030
Published: Jan. 25, 2023
Bipolar
cells
(BCs)
are
integral
to
the
retinal
circuits
that
extract
diverse
features
from
visual
environment.
They
bridge
photoreceptors
ganglion
cells,
source
of
output.
Understanding
how
such
encode
requires
an
accounting
mechanisms
control
glutamate
release
bipolar
cell
axons.
Here,
we
demonstrate
orientation
selectivity
in
a
specific
genetically
identifiable
type
mouse
cell-type
5A
(BC5A).
Their
synaptic
terminals
respond
best
when
stimulated
with
vertical
bars
far
larger
than
their
dendritic
fields.
We
provide
evidence
this
involves
enhanced
excitation
for
stimuli
gap
junctional
coupling
through
connexin36.
also
show
is
detectable
postsynaptically
direction-selective
which
were
not
previously
thought
be
selective
orientation.
Together,
these
results
multiple
extracted
by
single
hierarchical
network,
engaging
distinct
electrical
and
chemical
pathways.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: Jan. 18, 2024
Abstract
In
early
sensory
systems,
cell-type
diversity
generally
increases
from
the
periphery
into
brain,
resulting
in
a
greater
heterogeneity
of
responses
to
same
stimuli.
Surround
suppression
is
canonical
visual
computation
that
begins
within
retina
and
found
at
varying
levels
across
retinal
ganglion
cell
types.
Our
results
show
level
surround
occurs
subcellularly
bipolar
synapses.
Using
single-cell
electrophysiology
serial
block-face
scanning
electron
microscopy,
we
two
types
exhibit
very
different
even
though
they
receive
input
This
divergence
signal
through
synapse-specific
regulation
by
amacrine
cells
scale
tens
microns.
These
findings
indicate
each
synapse
single
can
carry
unique
signal,
expanding
number
possible
functional
channels
earliest
stages
processing.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
13(1)
Published: Sept. 26, 2022
Antagonistic
interactions
between
center
and
surround
receptive
field
(RF)
components
lie
at
the
heart
of
computations
performed
in
visual
system.
Circularly
symmetric
center-surround
RFs
are
thought
to
enhance
responses
spatial
contrasts
(i.e.,
edges),
but
how
edges
affect
motion
processing
is
unclear.
Here,
we
addressed
this
question
retinal
bipolar
cells,
first
neuron
with
classic
interactions.
We
found
that
glutamate
release
emphasizes
objects
emerge
RF;
their
continuous
smaller,
slower,
cannot
be
predicted
by
signals
elicited
stationary
stimuli.
In
our
hands,
alteration
signal
dynamics
induced
novel
was
more
pronounced
than
edge
enhancement
could
explained
priming
RF
during
motion.
These
findings
echo
salience
human
perception
demonstrate
an
unappreciated
capacity
architecture
facilitate
object
detection
dynamic
representation.
The
asymmetric
summation
of
kinetically
distinct
glutamate
inputs
across
the
dendrites
retinal
‘starburst’
amacrine
cells
is
one
several
mechanisms
that
have
been
proposed
to
underlie
their
direction-selective
properties,
but
experimentally
verifying
input
kinetics
has
a
challenge.
Here,
we
used
two-photon
sensor
(iGluSnFR)
imaging
directly
measure
individual
starburst
dendrites.
We
found
signals
measured
from
proximal
were
relatively
sustained
compared
those
distal
These
differences
observed
range
stimulus
sizes
and
appeared
be
shaped
mainly
by
excitatory
rather
than
inhibitory
network
interactions.
Temporal
deconvolution
analysis
suggests
steady-state
vesicle
release
rate
was
~3
times
larger
at
sites
sites.
Using
connectomics-inspired
computational
model,
demonstrate
play
an
important
role
in
shaping
direction
selectivity
low
velocities.
Taken
together,
these
results
provide
direct
support
for
‘space-time
wiring’
model
selectivity.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: March 1, 2024
Abstract
How
sensory
systems
extract
salient
features
from
natural
environments
and
organize
them
across
neural
pathways
is
unclear.
Combining
single-cell
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
four
types.
The
distribute
temporal
spatial
information
encoding,
respectively.
cell
axons
co-stratify
within
each
block,
but
separate
laminarly
between
(upper
block:
diverse
temporal,
uniform
tuning;
lower
spatial,
tuning).
similarly
artificial
naturalistic
stimuli.
In
addition,
they
differ
sensitivity
to
coherent
motion
movies.
Motion
distributed
upper
blocks,
multiplexed
with
contrast,
independent
scenes.
Comparing
responses
different
boutons
same
arbor,
find
all
types
function
as
computational
units.
Thus,
our
results
provide
insights
feature
extraction
stimuli
reveal
how
structural
functional
organization
cooperate
generate
parallel
for
mammalian
retina.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
16(1)
Published: Jan. 16, 2025
Myelin
loss
induces
neural
dysfunction
and
contributes
to
the
pathophysiology
of
neurodegenerative
diseases,
injury
conditions,
aging.
Because
remyelination
is
often
incomplete,
better
understanding
endogenous
developing
therapies
that
restore
function
are
clinical
imperatives.
Here,
we
use
in
vivo
two-photon
microscopy
electrophysiology
study
dynamics
therapeutic-induced
cortical
functional
recovery
after
cuprizone-mediated
demyelination
mice.
We
focus
on
visual
pathway,
which
uniquely
positioned
provide
insights
into
structure-function
relationships
during
de/remyelination.
show
driven
by
recent
oligodendrocyte
highly
efficacious
following
mild
demyelination,
but
fails
population
when
high
rates
occur
quickly.
Testing
a
thyromimetic
(LL-341070)
compared
clemastine,
find
it
enhances
gain
hastens
neuronal
function.
The
therapeutic
benefit
temporally
restricted,
acts
exclusively
moderate
severe
eliminating
deficit.
However,
regeneration
oligodendrocytes
myelin
healthy
levels
not
necessary
for
These
findings
advance
our
its
impact
inform
future
strategies.