 |
 Previous Article | Next Article 
Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 8, 2303-2320, Copyright © 1988 by Society for Neuroscience
The ON-alpha ganglion cell of the cat retina and its presynaptic cell types
MA Freed and P Sterling
University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Department of Anatomy, Philadelphia 19104.
Anatomical circuits converging onto the ON-alpha (Y) ganglion cell were
studied by computer-assisted reconstruction of substantial portions of 2
alpha cells from electron micrographs of serial sections. The alpha cells
in the area centralis were labeled by a Golgi-like retrograde filling with
horseradish peroxidase, and certain presynaptic amacrine processes were
labeled by uptake of 3H-glycine. About 4400 synapses contacted the alpha
cell. Eighty-six percent were from amacrine cells; the rest were from
bipolar cells. About one-quarter of the amacrine synapses were specifically
labeled by 3H-glycine and probably belong to the A4 amacrine. The bipolar
inputs were provided by several types: cone bipolar CBb1 (85%), cone
bipolar CBb5 (2%), the rod bipolar (5%), and some unidentified cone
bipolars (11%). Contacts from each type occurred in specific strata, with
the consequence that they tended to form spots or annulli over the alpha
dendritic field. The CBb1 bipolars formed a moderately dense array
(8000/mm2), with a nearest-neighbor distance of 8.6 +/- 1.3 microns. Most
members of the array (84%) contacted the alpha cell, providing 1-7 synapses
(average, 2.7 +/- 1.6). The placement of contacts from an individual CBb1
followed certain rules: they were restricted to a parent branch of the
alpha arbor or to 2 daughter branches, but almost never crossed a branch of
the alpha arbor. The synaptic territory of an individual CBb1 was not
shared with other b1s (or cone bipolars of any sort), although it was
shared with amacrine contacts. Rod bipolar cells also formed a very dense
array (54,500/mm2) in the alpha dendritic field, but only a few of these
(3%) contacted the alpha cell. The concentric receptive field of the CBb1,
combined with the spatial organization of its array, is used to predict the
CBb1 contribution to the alpha cell receptive field; this contribution
resembles the spatial and temporal organization of the alpha receptive
field itself.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
J. B. Demb
Functional circuitry of visual adaptation in the retina
J. Physiol.,
September 15, 2008;
586(18):
4377 - 4384.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Molnar and F. Werblin
Inhibitory Feedback Shapes Bipolar Cell Responses in the Rabbit Retina
J Neurophysiol,
December 1, 2007;
98(6):
3423 - 3435.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. L. Beaudoin, B. G. Borghuis, and J. B. Demb
Cellular Basis for Contrast Gain Control over the Receptive Field Center of Mammalian Retinal Ganglion Cells
J. Neurosci.,
March 7, 2007;
27(10):
2636 - 2645.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. J. Calkins and P. Sterling
Microcircuitry for Two Types of Achromatic Ganglion Cell in Primate Fovea
J. Neurosci.,
March 7, 2007;
27(10):
2646 - 2653.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y. Xu, N. K. Dhingra, R. G. Smith, and P. Sterling
Sluggish and Brisk Ganglion Cells Detect Contrast With Similar Sensitivity
J Neurophysiol,
May 1, 2005;
93(5):
2388 - 2395.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. J. Chichilnisky and F. Rieke
Detection Sensitivity and Temporal Resolution of Visual Signals near Absolute Threshold in the Salamander Retina
J. Neurosci.,
January 12, 2005;
25(2):
318 - 330.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. B. Demb, P. Sterling, and M. A. Freed
How Retinal Ganglion Cells Prevent Synaptic Noise From Reaching the Spike Output
J Neurophysiol,
October 1, 2004;
92(4):
2510 - 2519.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.-J. Pang, F. Gao, and S. M. Wu
Light-Evoked Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Inputs to ON and OFF {alpha} Ganglion Cells in the Mouse Retina
J. Neurosci.,
July 9, 2003;
23(14):
6063 - 6073.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. K. Dhingra, Y.-H. Kao, P. Sterling, and R. G. Smith
Contrast Threshold of a Brisk-Transient Ganglion Cell In Vitro
J Neurophysiol,
May 1, 2003;
89(5):
2360 - 2369.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. A. Zaghloul, K. Boahen, and J. B. Demb
Different Circuits for ON and OFF Retinal Ganglion Cells Cause Different Contrast Sensitivities
J. Neurosci.,
April 1, 2003;
23(7):
2645 - 2654.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. H. Hennig, K. Funke, and F. Worgotter
The Influence of Different Retinal Subcircuits on the Nonlinearity of Ganglion Cell Behavior
J. Neurosci.,
October 1, 2002;
22(19):
8726 - 8738.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. B. Demb, K. Zaghloul, L. Haarsma, and P. Sterling
Bipolar Cells Contribute to Nonlinear Spatial Summation in the Brisk-Transient (Y) Ganglion Cell in Mammalian Retina
J. Neurosci.,
October 1, 2001;
21(19):
7447 - 7454.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Flores-Herr, D. A. Protti, and H. Wassle
Synaptic Currents Generating the Inhibitory Surround of Ganglion Cells in the Mammalian Retina
J. Neurosci.,
July 1, 2001;
21(13):
4852 - 4863.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. A. Freed
Parallel Cone Bipolar Pathways to a Ganglion Cell Use Different Rates and Amplitudes of Quantal Excitation
J. Neurosci.,
June 1, 2000;
20(11):
3956 - 3963.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. A. Freed
Rate of Quantal Excitation to a Retinal Ganglion Cell Evoked by Sensory Input
J Neurophysiol,
May 1, 2000;
83(5):
2956 - 2966.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. D. Cohen
Interactions of Inhibition and Excitation in the Light-Evoked Currents of X Type Retinal Ganglion Cells
J Neurophysiol,
December 1, 1998;
80(6):
2975 - 2990.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Jacoby, D. Stafford, N. Kouyama, and D. Marshak
Synaptic Inputs to ON Parasol Ganglion Cells in the Primate Retina
J. Neurosci.,
December 15, 1996;
16(24):
8041 - 8056.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
