Visual pathway cooperation to align viewing strategies and processing specializations for predation

项目摘要 视觉产生于观察和视觉处理的结合。动物如何调整观看策略， 完成特定行为任务的区域处理专门化尚不清楚。我们最近发现 老鼠用双眼视觉来捕捉昆虫。在这里，我们跟进这一发现，以了解 视网膜信号和下游通路介导的双眼视觉捕食（目标1）和控制 凝视以使目标保持在双眼视野内（目标2）。哺乳动物的双眼视觉依赖于 同侧投射的视网膜神经节细胞（RGC）。我们最近报道，40多只小鼠RGC中有9只 类型具有同侧投影。在这里，我们测试的假设，即两个同侧投射的RGC类型， 持续ON和持续OFF α（sONα-和sOFFα-）RGC指导双眼捕食。我们有 开发了交叉转基因工具来选择性地标记、沉默和去除同侧突出的 sONα-和sOFFα-RGC（约300个细胞，约0.6%的RGC）。sONα-和sOFFα-RGC显示密度增加 和敏锐度（即，减少的感受野大小）。在目标1中，我们将联合收割机 免疫组织化学标记和高分辨率成像来了解整个视网膜的组织结构 sONα-和sOFFα-RGC急性区在腹颞部视网膜中的分布。我们将分析sONα-和sOFFα- RGC单独编码局部、全局和组合运动，并作为群体进行靶向膜片钳 和双光子钙成像。视觉刺激参数将基于我们的大型3D跟踪分析 老鼠捕食蟋蟀的数据集。接下来，我们将评估sONα-和sOFFα-RGC信号的双眼处理 通过上级丘中的特定神经元，视网膜受体靶介导捕食。最后我们将 测量同侧投射的sONα-和sOFFα-RGCs对捕食的贡献， 静音和删除以及3D行为跟踪。在目标2中，我们将测试ON-OFF方向- 选择性（DS-）RGCs控制凝视，以在追捕和捕获期间将猎物保持在双眼视野内。 结合双光子钙成像和免疫组织化学，我们将分析的地形图， sONα-和sOFFα-RGC急性区周围的DS-RGC方向偏好。我们将使用靶向膜片钳技术 记录和双光子钙成像，以了解ON-OFF DS-RGC如何编码局部，全局和 结合运动刺激与行为学相关参数和体内电生理学来分析 它们的信号通过上级丘中的特定神经元转化，从而介导注视转移。最后， 我们将测试从ON-OFF DS-RGC去除方向选择性对捕食期间的注视控制的影响。 我们的研究将揭示两个保守的RGC亚类，它们在视网膜中的区域特化（急性）， 区域和地形方向偏好图），下游路径相互配合， 战略和视觉处理的基本生存行为。

Project Summary Vision arises from the combination of viewing and visual processing. How animals align viewing strategies with regional processing specializations to accomplish specific behavioral tasks is unclear. We recently discovered that mice use binocular vision to pursue and capture insects. Here, we follow up on this discovery to understand the retinal signals and downstream pathways that mediate binocular vision for predation (Aim 1) and control the gaze to keep targets within the binocular visual field (Aim 2). Mammalian binocular vision relies on the presence of ipsilaterally projecting retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We recently reported that nine of the 40+ mouse RGC types have ipsilateral projections. Here, we test the hypothesis, that two ipsilaterally projecting RGC types, the sustained ON and sustained OFF alpha (sONα- and sOFFα-) RGCs, guide binocular predation. We have developed intersectional transgenic tools to selectively label, silence, and remove the ipsilaterally projecting sONα- and sOFFα-RGCs (~300 cells, ~0.6% of RGCs). The sONα- and sOFFα-RGCs show increased density and acuity (i.e., reduced receptive field size) in the ventrotemporal retina. In Aim 1, we will combine transgenic and immunohistochemical labeling and high-resolution imaging of whole retinas to understand the organization of the sONα- and sOFFα-RGC acute zone in the ventrotemporal retina. We will analyze how sONα- and sOFFα- RGCs encode local, global, and combined motion individually and as populations with targeted patch clamping and two-photon calcium imaging. Visual stimulus parameters will be based on analyses of our large 3D tracking dataset of mice hunting crickets. Next, we will assess the binocular processing of sONα- and sOFFα-RGC signals by specific neurons in the superior colliculus, the retinorecipient target mediating predation. Finally, we will measure the contributions of ipsilaterally projecting sONα- and sOFFα-RGCs to predation using selective silencing and removal and 3D behavior tracking. In Aim 2, we will test the hypothesis that ON-OFF direction- selective (DS-) RGCs control the gaze to keep prey within the binocular visual field during pursuit and capture. Combining two-photon calcium imaging and immunohistochemistry, we will analyze the topographic maps of DS-RGC direction preferences around the sONα- and sOFFα-RGC acute zone. We will use targeted patch clamp recordings and two-photon calcium imaging to understand how ON-OFF DS-RGCs encode local, global, and combined motion stimuli with ethologically relevant parameters and in vivo electrophysiology to analyze the transformation of their signals by specific neurons in the superior colliculus, which mediates gaze shifts. Finally, we will test the impact of removing direction selectivity from ON-OFF DS-RGCs on gaze control during predation. Our studies will reveal how two conserved RGC subclasses, their regional specializations in the retina (acute zones and topographic direction preference maps), and downstream pathways cooperate to align viewing strategies and visual processing for an essential survival behavior.