Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victoria Ngo, Julia C. Gorman, Maria Fernanda De la Fuente, Antonio Souto, Nicola Schiel, Cory T. Miller
Summary: This study highlights the active role of vision in prey capture behaviors of wild marmoset monkeys. Marmosets use vision for precise motor control, particularly involving hand grasping, during hunting. Applying markerless tracking for the first time in wild primates provided novel insights into how marmosets track and capture prey.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xindong Song, Yueqi Guo, Hongbo Li, Chenggang Chen, Jong Hoon Lee, Yang Zhang, Zachary Schmidt, Xiaoqin Wang
Summary: This study developed an optical imaging method for mapping cortical functions through the intact skull in marmoset monkeys. Detailed functions and topographies were revealed in visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortices at mesoscopic scales.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Charis Drummer, Edgar-John Vogt, Michael Heistermann, Berit Roshani, Tamara Becker, Kerstin Matz-Rensing, Wilfried A. Kues, Sebastian Kugler, Rudiger Behr
Summary: This study successfully generated EGFP-transgenic marmosets via lentiviral transduction of natural preimplantation embryos in non-human primates (NHP), leading to the establishment of a cohort of transgenic offspring through natural mating. The transgenic offspring exhibited transgene silencing in 90% of cases, a phenomenon that sharply contrasts with the robust EGFP expression observed in rodents with the same transgene. Additionally, somatic cell chimerism was consistently found in mixed wildtype/transgenic litters, underscoring the importance of careful promoter selection for successful genetic modification.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Charis Drummer, Julia Muenzker, Michael Heistermann, Tamara Becker, Sophie Missbach, Ruediger Behr
Summary: Non-human primates are often used as embryo donors in genetic modification experiments to mimic genetic diseases in humans. This study evaluated fertility and distress markers in long-term and short-term groups of animals. The long-term group showed higher embryo retrieval rates (ERR) and stable fertility over time, indicating their better ability to handle distress. Overall, the study supports the concept of animal reuse in accordance with the 3R principle.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lingyun Zhao, Xiaoqin Wang
Summary: This study investigates the frontal cortex of marmoset monkeys and finds that neural signals in the frontal cortex show distinct patterns for different call types, indicating a neural representation of vocalization features. These findings suggest an important role for the marmoset frontal cortex in supporting the production of diverse vocalizations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Ingrid H. C. H. M. Philippens, Laurijn Draaisma, Guus Baarends, Harm J. Krugers, Eric Vermetten
Summary: This study shows that a single low dose of ketamine, given during fear retrieval in non-human primates, can reduce contextual fear memory and attenuate neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Letter
Immunology
Chunmao Zhang, Zhendong Guo, Zongzheng Zhao, Tiecheng Wang, Liang Li, Faming Miao, Cheng Zhang, Yuanguo Li, Yuwei Gao
Summary: Analysis of aerosol particles shed by experimentally infected cynomolgus monkeys revealed that most exhaled particles were small, and virus was mainly released early during infection. By postinfection day 6, no virus was detected in breath, but air in the isolator contained large quantities of aerosolized virus.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Azadeh Feizpour, Piotr Majka, Tristan A. Chaplin, Declan Rowley, Hsin-Hao Yu, Elizabeth Zavitz, Nicholas S. C. Price, Marcello G. P. Rosa, Maureen A. Hagan
Summary: The marmoset monkey is emerging as a new primate model for neurophysiology research, with advantages in accessing various physiological techniques due to its lissencephalic cortex. Research on the visual behavior circuitry in marmosets is ongoing, with evidence of brisk visual responses in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This suggests that the marmoset model may provide valuable insights into the study of visuomotor cognition.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Asuncion Borrero Borrego, Saar Gill
Summary: Genetic engineering has successfully prevented immune destruction of transplanted cells in macaques.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Carmen Freire-Cobo, Emily S. Rothwell, Merina Varghese, Melise Edwards, William G. M. Janssen, Agnes Lacreuse, Patrick R. Hof
Summary: The investigation focuses on the neurobiological and neuropathological changes in synapses and their impact on the vulnerability of the aging brain to Alzheimer's disease. Cellular characteristics in the cerebral cortex of behaviorally characterized marmosets were studied, revealing increased astrogliosis, heightened phagocytic activity of microglial cells, and differences in microglial cell phenotypes between cognitively impaired and non-impaired marmosets. Additionally, age-related changes in dendritic spines were observed in cortical areas associated with cognition. These findings suggest an accelerated aging process and neurodegeneration contributing to neuronal vulnerability in cognitively impaired aged marmosets.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Kadharbatcha S. Saleem, Alexandru V. Avram, Cecil Chern-Chyi Yen, Kulam Najmudeen Magdoom, Vincent Schram, Peter J. Basser
Summary: Subcortical nuclei and deep brain structures play important roles in regulating the central and peripheral nervous systems. However, their identification and delineation in conventional MRI are challenging due to their small size and hidden location. In this study, we used the MAP-MRI method along with histology to accurately identify and distinguish the subregions of these structures at high spatial resolution. The results demonstrate the potential of this multimodal approach in studying brain anatomy and providing anatomical references for future research.
Review
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Juri Engelbrecht, Kert Tamm, Tanel Peets
Summary: This short review discusses the importance of physics in understanding the signal propagation in nerve fibres. The action potential, which is the main carrier of information, is accompanied by mechanical and thermal effects. A possible model, taking into account the basic laws of physics, describes the interactions between the dynamical effects. Such interdisciplinary approach combining electrophysiology, physics, and mathematics helps to comprehend the complex process of signal propagation in nerves measured experimentally.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Anne Grapin-Botton, Barbara Ludwig
Summary: Du et al. conducted the first transplantation of 0 cells derived from pluripotent stem cells in diabetic monkeys, as a step towards clinical translation. They observed gradual benefits over months, but also noted immune rejection of the grafts at 5-6 months.
Article
Neurosciences
Tushar Chauhan, Ivana Jakovljev, Lindsay N. Thompson, Sophie M. Wuerger, Jasna Martinovic
Summary: The concept of colour opponency suggests that colour vision is based on the comparison of two chromatic mechanisms: red versus green and yellow versus blue. Unique hues, including red, green, blue, and yellow, are assumed to correspond to the null points of these chromatic systems. This study demonstrates that electroencephalographic responses carry robust information about tested unique hues within a specific timeframe. The efficiency of hue decoding is influenced by luminance contrast and perceptual neighbourhoods.
Article
Neurosciences
Lucas C. Pereira, Marilia Barros
Summary: The study found that when isolated marmoset monkeys are placed in a new or familiar environment, they exhibit different patterns of hemisphere activity, while the presence of a companion buffers their stress response. Compared to isolated marmosets, those with companions present had higher circulating cortisol levels.
Article
Neurosciences
Kacie Dougherty, Brock M. Carlson, Michele A. Cox, Jacob A. Westerberg, Wolf Zinke, Michael C. Schmid, Paul R. Martin, Alexander Maier
Summary: The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in the brain receives outputs from both eyes, with most neurons being activated by stimulation from one dominant eye. Previous work has shown binocular modulation in monkeys when luminance differences are introduced or with single-contrast stimuli. The study found that LGN neurons of all types were significantly suppressed when stimuli were presented at low contrast to the dominant eye and high contrast to the non-dominant eye, indicating antagonistic interaction between the inputs of the two eyes.
Article
Neurosciences
Subha Nasir-Ahmad, Sammy C. S. Lee, Paul R. Martin, Ulrike Grunert
Summary: The study investigates the expression of Satb2 in ganglion cells in three primate species, revealing a low proportion of Satb2 cells in the ganglion cell population with species-specific differences. The findings suggest rapid species-specific adaptations in Satb2 expression during primate evolution, as the expression is not conserved across Old World and New World suborders.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Hossein Mokhtarzadeh, Jason D. Forte, Peter Vee-Sin Lee
Summary: This study investigated the effects of Cognitive-Motor Interference at different gait speeds, with results showing that performing a cognitive task during high-speed walking significantly improves stability margins. The increase in gait speed resulted in significant improvements in MoS during the visual search task, and performing visual search while walking can enhance visual performance and reduce costs.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Ulrike Gruenert, Sammy C. S. Lee, William C. Kwan, Inaki-Carril Mundinano, James A. Bourne, Paul R. Martin
Summary: The study identified the retinal ganglion cell types projecting to the medial subdivision of inferior pulvinar and superior colliculus in marmoset monkeys. Results showed that both PIm and SC receive input from various ganglion cell types, with different dominant cell types in each area.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jenny L. Hepschke, Paul R. Martin, Clare L. Fraser
Summary: The study found that visual snow symptoms are influenced by color modulation, particularly in increasing levels of S-cone excitation. Patients prefer orange-yellow and turquoise-blue spectral regions that relieve symptoms, while a non-preferred violet region near the tritanopic confusion line exacerbates symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Ulrike Grunert, Paul R. Martin
Summary: The eye sends visual information to the brain through over 20 parallel signal pathways, each specialized for features like color, edges, and object motion. Ganglion cell types in humans and primates receive input from specific cone bipolar cells and project selectively to target regions in the brain. Genetic methods are being used to characterize ganglion cells and establish cross-species homologies.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF VISION SCIENCE, VOL 7, 2021
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Alyssa K. Baldicano, Subha Nasir-Ahmad, Mario Novelli, Sammy C. S. Lee, Michael Tri H. Do, Paul R. Martin, Ulrike Grunert
Summary: In this study, the expression of CaMKII in retinal ganglion cells of three primate species (macaque, human, and marmoset) was investigated using immunostaining and single-cell injections. The results showed that CaMKII is expressed by a small percentage of ganglion cells in all species, and includes various types of wide-field ganglion cells. The expression pattern of CaMKII in retinal ganglion cells is largely conserved across different primate species, suggesting a common functional role. However, not all koniocellular projecting retinal ganglion cells express CaMKII.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Subha Nasir-Ahmad, Kurt A. Vanstone, Mario Novelli, Sammy C. S. Lee, Michael Tri H. Do, Paul R. Martin, Ulrike Grunert
Summary: Recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing have allowed for the molecular distinction of ganglion cell populations in mammalian retinas. Satb1 expression in marmoset and macaque retinas mainly involves widefield ganglion cells, with differences in specific cell types between the two species.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Bernd Fritzsch, Paul R. Martin
Summary: During early vertebrate evolution, the expansion of the Hox gene clusters may have influenced the development of the visual system. Neurosensory cells split into photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells, which possibly originated from early chordates. The neurosensory cells in lancelets correspond to eye fields in ascidians, which could be the basis of the vertebrate retina, pineal, and parapineal.
IBRO NEUROSCIENCE REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Amy Claire Thompson, Patrick T. Goodbourn, Jason D. Forte
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between sensory sensitivity and the perceived severity of Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) symptoms. The results showed that sensory hypersensitivity was prevalent in people with VSS and that visual allodynia was associated with increased severity of VSS. The findings also suggest the importance of including cases of latent VSS in future research to develop a more complete understanding of the perceptual experiences of people with VSS.
Review
Optics
Paul R. Martin
Summary: Like other New World monkeys, marmosets have diverse color vision due to genetic variation in X-chromosome genes. Male marmosets are red-green color blind, while females can have one of three trichromatic phenotypes. Studying marmosets allows comparison between dichromatic and trichromatic visual systems, and insights into depth perception and attention pathways. These studies parallel clinical research on color vision defects pioneered by Guy Verreist.
JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA A-OPTICS IMAGE SCIENCE AND VISION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Ivan C. K. Ma, Subha Nasir-Ahmad, Sammy C. S. Lee, Ulrike Grunert, Paul R. Martin
Summary: Parasol-magnocellular pathway ganglion cells play an important role in visual motion detection, but their relative numbers and contribution to high-acuity vision were not well understood. This study used antibodies and dye injections to show that OFF parasol cells are selectively labeled in macaque retina. The density of parasol cells in central retina is greater than previously reported, and the central-peripheral gradient is shallower. The findings suggest a decline in spatial acuity with visual field eccentricity.
Article
Neurosciences
Loic Daumail, Brock M. Carlson, Blake A. Mitchell, Michele A. Cox, Jacob A. Westerberg, Cortez Johnson, Paul R. Martin, Frank Tong, Alexander Maier, Kacie Dougherty
Summary: The visual system dynamically adapts to changing environments and there is evidence of adaptation to stimuli that are changing, interrupted, or repeated. In this study, we found that the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of awake monkeys showed significant adaptation to repeated cycles of a drifting grating stimulus. Adaptation was observed in all cell classes, but only magnocellular neurons showed adaptation in population responses. The adaptation effect was monocular in nature and did not affect response variability.
JOURNAL OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yeon Jin Kim, Orin Packer, Andreas Pollreisz, Paul R. Martin, Ulrike Grunert, Dennis M. Dacey
Summary: The connectivity of visual processing in human, macaque monkey and marmoset retina was examined. The circuitry arising from S cones exhibited distinct features in each species. These findings imply that the early-stage chromatic signals are unique in the human retina and emphasize the necessity of understanding human connectome at the level of synaptic wiring for comprehending human color vision.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Rania A. Masri, Felix Weltzien, Sivaraman Purushothuman, Sammy C. S. Lee, Paul R. Martin, Ulrike Grunert
Summary: This study measured the composition of the inner nuclear layer (INL) in human retina and found that while the absolute density of cell populations varies across the retina, their proportions remain relatively constant. Cone bipolar cells dominate the central retina, with a decrease in proportion towards the periphery balanced by an increase in rod bipolar cells. Despite regional differences in cell density, the neuronal makeup of the INL remains consistent.
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE
(2021)