Identification of ON–OFF direction‐selective ganglion cells in the mouse retina

• Published in: The Journal of physiology 2005-02, Vol.562 (3), p.915-923
• Main Authors: Weng, Shijun, Sun, Wenzhi, He, Shigang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action Potentials - drug effects; Action Potentials - physiology; Animals; Biotin - analogs & derivatives; Biotin - pharmacology; Dendrites - drug effects; Dendrites - ultrastructure; Integrative Physiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Motion Perception - drug effects; Motion Perception - physiology; Photic Stimulation - methods; Retinal Ganglion Cells - classification; Retinal Ganglion Cells - cytology; Retinal Ganglion Cells - drug effects; Retinal Ganglion Cells - physiology; Synaptic Transmission - drug effects; Synaptic Transmission - physiology
• ISSN: 0022-3751; 1469-7793
• DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.076695

We identified the ON–OFF direction‐selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) in the mouse retina and characterized their physiological, morphological and pharmacological properties. These cells showed transient responses to the onset and termination of a stationary flashing spot, and strong directional selectivity to a moving rectangle. Application of various pharmacological reagents demonstrated that the ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina utilize a similar array of transmitters and receptors to compute motion direction to their counterparts in the rabbit retina. Voltage clamp recording showed that ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina receive a larger inhibitory input when the stimulus is moving in the null direction and a larger excitatory input when the stimulus is moving in the preferred direction. Finally, intracellular infusion of neurobiotin revealed a bistratified dendritic field with recursive dendrites forming loop‐like structures, previously classified as RGD2 by morphology. Overall, the ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina exhibit almost identical properties to their counterparts in the rabbit retina, indicating that the mechanisms for computing motion direction are conserved from mouse to rabbit, and probably also to higher mammals. This first detailed characterization of ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina provides fundamental information for further study of maturation and regulation of the neuronal circuitry underlying computation of direction.