Visual Response Properties of Y Cells in the Detached Feline Retina

• Published in: Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 2010-02, Vol.51 (2), p.1208-1215
• Main Authors: Nan, Yan, Xiao, Chunxia, Chen, Baiyu, Ellis-Behnke, Rutledge G, So, Kwok-Fai, Pu, Mingliang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biotin - analogs & derivatives; Biotin - metabolism; Cats; Contrast Sensitivity - physiology; Disease Models, Animal; Electrophysiology; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Isoquinolines - metabolism; Male; Perceptual Disorders - physiopathology; Photic Stimulation; Retina - physiopathology; Retina - radiation effects; Retinal Detachment - physiopathology; Retinal Ganglion Cells - physiology; Sensory Thresholds; Visual Perception - physiology
• ISSN: 0146-0404; 1552-5783; 1552-5783
• DOI: 10.1167/iovs.09-4179

To evaluate early changes in the visual response properties of Y cells in the detached feline retina. The retinas of young adult cats were detached by injection, with a glass micropipette, of a solution of 0.004% sodium hyaluronate in a balanced salt solution between the neural retina and the retinal pigment epithelium. At 1, 3, and 7 days after detachment, the eyes were removed. The eyecup was prepared as a flat mount in a recording chamber and superfused with medium. Extracellular single-unit responses from Y cells in the retinas were recorded. One, 3, and 7 days after retinal detachment surgery, Y cells showed clear signs of functional deterioration. At each time point, more ON center cells than OFF cells were encountered. Y cells in the detached retinas showed a statistically significant elevation in the average threshold irradiance after 1-, 3-, and 7-day detachment, respectively. The average contrast threshold recorded from cells in the normal retina was 3.6%, but it increased to 14.5%, 21.8%, and 47.5% after 1-, 3-, and 7-day detachment, respectively. Furthermore, at each time point, the capability of Y cells to process contrast information decreased significantly more because of detachment than because of luminance task performance. Retinal detachment induced rapid functional remodeling that resulted in degenerated Y-cell function, including an elevated luminance threshold and a deteriorated contrast threshold. Detachment had a greater impact on the latter. These physiological changes after retinal detachment could be used as objective indicators of early deterioration of visual function in future studies of retinal remodeling.