Skip to main content

Main menu

  • HOME
  • CONTENT
    • Early Release
    • Featured
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Collections
    • Podcast
  • ALERTS
  • FOR AUTHORS
    • Information for Authors
    • Fees
    • Journal Clubs
    • eLetters
    • Submit
  • EDITORIAL BOARD
  • ABOUT
    • Overview
    • Advertise
    • For the Media
    • Rights and Permissions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Feedback
  • SUBSCRIBE

User menu

  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Neuroscience
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Neuroscience

Advanced Search

Submit a Manuscript
  • HOME
  • CONTENT
    • Early Release
    • Featured
    • Current Issue
    • Issue Archive
    • Collections
    • Podcast
  • ALERTS
  • FOR AUTHORS
    • Information for Authors
    • Fees
    • Journal Clubs
    • eLetters
    • Submit
  • EDITORIAL BOARD
  • ABOUT
    • Overview
    • Advertise
    • For the Media
    • Rights and Permissions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Feedback
  • SUBSCRIBE
PreviousNext
Articles

The spectral sensitivity of dark- and light-adapted cat retinal ganglion cells

E Guenther and E Zrenner
Journal of Neuroscience 1 April 1993, 13 (4) 1543-1550; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.13-04-01543.1993
E Guenther
Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuroophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Tubingen, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
E Zrenner
Department of Pathophysiology of Vision and Neuroophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, Tubingen, Germany.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

The spectral sensitivity of cat retinal ganglion neurons (RGNs) was determined by means of extracellular recordings under scotopic and photopic conditions, in both receptive field center and surround. Test stimuli were presented either as square-wave single flashes or as flicker stimuli. Chromatic adaptation was achieved by a large steady monochromatic background field. In the dark-adapted state the spectral sensitivity of the majority of ganglion cells (92%) was rod mediated (peak sensitivity at 501 nm). Under photopic conditions all neurons received input from a long-wavelength-sensitive (L-cone) system with a peak sensitivity of 550 nm. Input from a short-wavelength-sensitive (S- cone) system (peak sensitivity at 450 nm), however, was found only in 15% of the ganglion cells. A small cell population (8%) located within the area centralis revealed a different receptive field organization. In these cells, spectral sensitivity in the field center peaked at 520 nm in the dark-adapted state and response threshold was about 1 log unit higher than in cells with a peak sensitivity of 501 nm. Critical flicker fusion was reached at 60–70 Hz, a frequency that usually is mediated by cones. We therefore postulate an additional input of a midspectral receptor system (M-system) other than rods in cat retinal ganglion cells. This input was found only in the receptive field center of some ganglion cells in the dark-adapted state, whereas the surround sensitivity was mediated in all cells by rod signals under scotopic and predominantly by L-cone signals under photopic conditions.

Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of Neuroscience: 13 (4)
Journal of Neuroscience
Vol. 13, Issue 4
1 Apr 1993
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
Email

Thank you for sharing this Journal of Neuroscience article.

NOTE: We request your email address only to inform the recipient that it was you who recommended this article, and that it is not junk mail. We do not retain these email addresses.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
The spectral sensitivity of dark- and light-adapted cat retinal ganglion cells
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Journal of Neuroscience
(Your Name) thought you would be interested in this article in Journal of Neuroscience.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
View Full Page PDF
Citation Tools
The spectral sensitivity of dark- and light-adapted cat retinal ganglion cells
E Guenther, E Zrenner
Journal of Neuroscience 1 April 1993, 13 (4) 1543-1550; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.13-04-01543.1993

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Respond to this article
Request Permissions
Share
The spectral sensitivity of dark- and light-adapted cat retinal ganglion cells
E Guenther, E Zrenner
Journal of Neuroscience 1 April 1993, 13 (4) 1543-1550; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.13-04-01543.1993
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF

Responses to this article

Respond to this article

Jump to comment:

No eLetters have been published for this article.

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • Choice Behavior Guided by Learned, But Not Innate, Taste Aversion Recruits the Orbitofrontal Cortex
  • Maturation of Spontaneous Firing Properties after Hearing Onset in Rat Auditory Nerve Fibers: Spontaneous Rates, Refractoriness, and Interfiber Correlations
  • Insulin Treatment Prevents Neuroinflammation and Neuronal Injury with Restored Neurobehavioral Function in Models of HIV/AIDS Neurodegeneration
Show more Articles
  • Home
  • Alerts
  • Visit Society for Neuroscience on Facebook
  • Follow Society for Neuroscience on Twitter
  • Follow Society for Neuroscience on LinkedIn
  • Visit Society for Neuroscience on Youtube
  • Follow our RSS feeds

Content

  • Early Release
  • Current Issue
  • Issue Archive
  • Collections

Information

  • For Authors
  • For Advertisers
  • For the Media
  • For Subscribers

About

  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
(JNeurosci logo)
(SfN logo)

Copyright © 2022 by the Society for Neuroscience.
JNeurosci Online ISSN: 1529-2401

The ideas and opinions expressed in JNeurosci do not necessarily reflect those of SfN or the JNeurosci Editorial Board. Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in JNeurosci should not be construed as an endorsement of the manufacturer’s claims. SfN does not assume any responsibility for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising from or related to any use of any material contained in JNeurosci.