Article
Developmental Biology
Natalie R. Hamilton, Andrew J. Scasny, Alex L. Kolodkin
Summary: Direction-selective (DS) circuits are evolutionarily conserved retinal circuits specialized for motion detection, forming precise connections through cellular, molecular, and activity-dependent mechanisms. These circuits regulate specific speeds and directions of motion in the retina, providing an ideal model system for studying neural connectivity development.
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Alexandre Tiriac, Marla B. Feller
Summary: This article summarizes recent findings on the development of direction selectivity maps in the mouse retina, with a focus on the role of activity-dependent mechanisms, and discusses the implications for the development of direction-selective responses in downstream visual areas.
TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Qingpeng Yu, Hang Fu, Gang Wang, Jiayi Zhang, Biao Yan
Summary: The study found that visual experience can potentiate spontaneous activity in mouse superior colliculus neurons, with feature selectivity for direction and orientation. By stimulating retinal ganglion cells or optogenetically activating parvalbumin neurons, this potentiation can be attenuated or blocked.
NEUROSCIENCE BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Mianzhe Han, Yuki Todo, Zheng Tang
Summary: The study proposed a mechanism for motion direction detection based on Barlow's inhibitory scheme, showing good performance and high detection accuracy in experiments, outperforming traditional Convolution Neural Network (CNN) in terms of accuracy, calculation speed, and cost.
Article
Neurosciences
Hui Chen, Elise L. Savier, Victor J. DePiero, Jianhua Cang
Summary: Through studying the mouse superior colliculus, it was found that direction-selective neurons are not organized into stereotypical columns, but rather exist in clusters. This phenomenon is not affected by factors such as animal state, SC depth, research technique, and stimulus type, challenging recent reports on region-specific organizations in the mouse SC.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaolin Huang, Alan Jaehyun Kim, Hector Acaron Ledesma, Jennifer Ding, Robert G. Smith, Wei Wei
Summary: Experience-dependent modulation of neuronal responses is a key attribute in sensory processing. This study explores the dynamic adjustment of light responsiveness in On-Off direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) of the mammalian retina. The results show that DSGCs can be transiently sensitized by prior stimuli, and this sensitization is found to be different in dorsal and ventral DSGCs. Visual stimulation to the dorsal retina potentiates an excitatory input from Off bipolar cells, leading to a tonic depolarization of dorsal DSGCs and sensitization of their On responses. In addition, the study identifies a previously overlooked feature of DSGC dendritic architecture that supports integration between On and Off dendritic layers.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Alan W. Freeman
Summary: Motion perception is crucial for navigation, object recognition, and communication. A model of the cat's visual system suggests that the direction selectivity in carnivores and primates is a result of the orientation selectivity of inhibitory neurons, leading to spatially asymmetric inhibition. The timing of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to neurons determines direction selectivity, with inhibitory inputs being spatially displaced in the preferred direction.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Mang Gao, Sukbin Lim, Alexander A. Chubykin
Summary: Neural oscillations are crucial for information processing, communication between brain areas, learning, and memory. Familiar visual stimuli can induce 5-Hz oscillations in the primary visual cortex of awake mice. Visual experience affects the visual orientation and selectivity of V1 neurons, as well as membrane potential and firing rates.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Logan Chariker, Robert Shapley, Michael Hawken, Lai-Sang Young
Summary: This paper proposes a theory for the origin of direction selectivity in the macaque primary visual cortex, suggesting that DS is initiated in feed-forward LGN input and achieved through the interplay of ON and OFF LGN cells and their connections to cortex. The authors present data on Simple cells in layer 4C alpha in response to drifting gratings to support the proposed theory.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yunlu Xue, Xiaomei Sun, Sean K. Wang, Gayle B. Collin, Vladimir J. Kefalov, Constance L. Cepko
Summary: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an ocular disease characterized by the loss of night vision, followed by the loss of daylight vision. The timing of cone electroretinogram (ERG) decline in RP mouse models was investigated using physiological assays, and a correlation with the loss of rods was found. Abnormally high chromophore supply to cones upon the loss of rods is toxic to cones, suggesting a potential therapy in some forms of RP to slow down the turnover or reduce the level of visual chromophore in the retina.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Masatoshi Kasai, Tadashi Isa
Summary: This study found that changes in brain states can affect the selectivity of SC neurons and the organization of neuronal populations. Under isoflurane anesthesia, orientation selectivity increased and more orientation-selective cells were observed, while the proportions of direction-selective cells were similar in both conditions. Additionally, neurons with similar preferences located closer together and showed enhanced cluster-like spatial patterns.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiufen Jiang, Elizabeth Y. Litvina, Hector Acaron Ledesma, Guanhua Shu, Takuma Sonoda, Wei Wei, Chinfei Chen
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated the connectivity between retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) in the mouse visual system. They found that only a small fraction of thalamocortical neurons in the dLGN received primary retinal input from specific subtypes of RGCs. The majority of the functionally identifiable inputs from these RGC subtypes were weak and converged with inputs from other RGC types.
Article
Biology
Scott C. Harris, Felice A. Dunn
Summary: This study discovers mechanisms involved in motion encoding in vertically tuned retinal ganglion cells and uses these findings to define the signal transformation between retinal output and vertical optokinetic reflex (OKR) behavior. It also reveals contrast-sensitive and asymmetric motion encoding in different direction-preferred retinal ganglion cell types. By subtracting the outputs of these neurons, the trajectories of vertical OKR can be accurately predicted across stimulus conditions in behaving mice.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Mianzhe Han, Yuki Todo, Zheng Tang
Summary: This paper proposes a new three-dimensional artificial visual system and establishes a realistic motion direction mechanism in three dimensions by considering the difference in information between the left and right retinas. Computer simulations demonstrate the validity of this mechanism in detecting the motion of complex three-dimensional objects.
Article
Cell Biology
Julien Guy, Martin Moeck, Jochen F. Staiger
Summary: GABAergic interneurons, which make up 15% to 20% of cortical neurons, have unique roles in cortical circuits due to their diversity. In the barrel cortex, excitatory neurons show direction selectivity in response to facial whisker stimulation, but it is unclear whether GABAergic interneurons also exhibit this property. Through two-photon-guided whole-cell recordings in anesthetized mice, this study found that direction selectivity is present in interneurons, but tuning sharpness varies across different subtypes. The findings suggest that different interneuron subtypes make distinct contributions to cortical representations of stimuli in the barrel cortex.
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Franklin Caval-Holme, Marla B. Feller
Article
Cell Biology
Malak El-Quessny, Kayla Maanum, Marla B. Feller
Article
Neurosciences
Malak El-Quessny, Marla B. Feller
Summary: The organization of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs within a neuron's receptive field shapes its output computation, with dendritic morphology influencing the amount of tuned inhibition attained through asymmetric wiring. However, in mouse retina DSGCs, dendritic morphology does not dictate the synaptic organization of excitation relative to inhibition.
Review
Neurosciences
Joshua M. Tworig, Marla B. Feller
Summary: This article presents the molecular factors and signaling events that govern the specification, patterning, and differentiation of Muller glia, as well as their various roles in retinal development and integration into retinal circuits during neuronal signaling.
FRONTIERS IN NEURAL CIRCUITS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Joshua M. Tworig, Chandler J. Coate, Marla B. Feller
Summary: Glial cells, once thought to have a passive supporting function, are now known to be integrated into neural circuits and play a crucial role in neural communication. In the retina, Muller glial cells exhibit dynamic processes that interact with synapses, impacting the structure and function of glia. Despite the influence of neuronal messengers, the structural maturation of Muller glial cells seems to be independent of neuronal signaling, providing new insights into glial development in the retina and potentially the brain.
Article
Cell Biology
Aubrey G. A. Howard, Aaron C. Nguyen, Joshua Tworig, Priya Ravisankar, Eileen W. Singleton, Can Li, Grayson Kotzur, Joshua S. Waxman, Rosa A. Uribe
Summary: Neural crest cells (NCCs) are migratory and multipotent stem cells essential to vertebrate embryonic development. This study identifies the gene Hoxb5b as a regulator of NCC development, demonstrating that elevated Hoxb5b levels promote expansion of zebrafish NCCs and specifically expand expression domains of vagal NCC markers. The study also shows that early increase in vagal NCCs leads to supernumerary enteric neural progenitors, but these fail to properly expand into enterically fated neurons in the gut tissue.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mathew T. Summers, Marla B. Feller
Summary: This study investigates two circuits in the retina responsible for encoding different aspects of image motion. The research shows that distinct inhibitory pathways independently control tuning for motion velocity and motion direction in these two cell types.
Article
Neurosciences
Franklin S. Caval-Holme, Marcos L. Aranda, Andy Q. Chen, Alexandre Tiriac, Yizhen Zhang, Benjamin Smith, Lutz Birnbaumer, Tiffany M. Schmidt, Marla B. Feller
Summary: In neonatal mice, the M1 ipRGCs that lack the Brn3b transcription factor are responsible for driving aversive responses to bright light. Lack of TRPC6 and TRPC7 ion channels prevents neonatal mice from turning away from bright light. Mice with all ipRGC types except for Brn3b-negative M1 ipRGCs exhibit normal photoaversion.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Alexandre Tiriac, Marla B. Feller
Summary: This article summarizes recent findings on the development of direction selectivity maps in the mouse retina, with a focus on the role of activity-dependent mechanisms, and discusses the implications for the development of direction-selective responses in downstream visual areas.
TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Corey M. Webster, Joshua Tworig, Franklin Caval-Holme, Catherine W. Morgans, Marla B. Feller