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The Journal of Neuroscience, March 7, 2007, 27(10):2646-2653; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4739-06.2007

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Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive
Microcircuitry for Two Types of Achromatic Ganglion Cell in Primate Fovea

David J. Calkins¹ and Peter Sterling²

¹Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, and ²Department of Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058

Correspondence should be addressed to David J. Calkins, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37205. Email: david.j.calkins{at}vanderbilt.edu

Synaptic circuits in primate fovea have been quantified for midget/parvocellular ganglion cells. Here, based on partial reconstructions from serial electron micrographs, we quantify synaptic circuits for two other types of ganglion cell: the familiar parasol/magnocellular cell and a smaller type, termed "garland." The excitatory circuits both derive from two types of OFF diffuse cone bipolar cell, DB3 and DB2, which collected unselectively from at least 6 ± 1 cones, including the S type. Cone contacts to DB3 dendrites were usually located between neighboring triads, whereas half of the cone contacts to DB2 were triad associated. Ribbon outputs were as follows: DB3, 69 ± 5; DB2, 48 ± 4. A complete parasol cell (30 µm dendritic field diameter) would collect from 50 cones via 120 bipolar and 85 amacrine contacts; a complete garland cell (25 µm dendritic field) would collect from 40 cones via 75 bipolar and 145 amacrine contacts. The bipolar types contributed differently: the parasol cell received most contacts (60%) from DB3, whereas the garland cell received most contacts (67%) from DB2. We hypothesize that DB3 is a transient bipolar cell and that DB2 is sustained. This would be consistent with their relative inputs to the brisk-transient (parasol) ganglion cell. The garland cell, with its high proportion of DB2 inputs plus its high proportion of amacrine synapses (70%) and dense mosaic, might correspond to the local-edge cell in nonprimate retinas, which serves finer acuity at low temporal frequencies. The convergence of S cones onto both types could contribute S-cone input for cortical areas primary visual cortex and the middle temporal area.

Key words: primate retina; ganglion cell; bipolar cell; microcircuitry; ribbon synapse; parallel pathways

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Received July 21, 2006; revised Jan. 18, 2007; accepted Feb. 6, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to David J. Calkins, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37205. Email: david.j.calkins{at}vanderbilt.edu

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Balasubramanian and P. Sterling Receptive fields and functional architecture in the retina J. Physiol., June 15, 2009; 587(12): 2753 - 2767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. G. Borghuis, P. Sterling, and R. G. Smith Loss of Sensitivity in an Analog Neural Circuit J. Neurosci., March 11, 2009; 29(10): 3045 - 3058. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Crook, B. B. Peterson, O. S. Packer, F. R. Robinson, P. D. Gamlin, J. B. Troy, and D. M. Dacey The Smooth Monostratified Ganglion Cell: Evidence for Spatial Diversity in the Y-Cell Pathway to the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus and Superior Colliculus in the Macaque Monkey J. Neurosci., November 26, 2008; 28(48): 12654 - 12671. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. G. Borghuis, C. P. Ratliff, R. G. Smith, P. Sterling, and V. Balasubramanian Design of a Neuronal Array J. Neurosci., March 19, 2008; 28(12): 3178 - 3189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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