Characterization of a newly-discovered cell type family in the retina

描述(申请人提供)：神经系统功能需要不同神经元亚型之间的精确连接。在视网膜中，了解视网膜神经节细胞(RGC)的个别亚型如何形成具有特定功能的板层限制回路，如检测物体移动(称为方向选择性[DS])，已经取得了进展。关于密切相关的神经元组(家族)是如何组织和连接以处理相关视觉信息的，我们知之甚少。最近，我发现了一个新的研资局家族的多个成员，其中包括两个以前没有描述的研资局亚型。这些细胞在形态和分子上与已知的称为J-RGCs的DS细胞非常相似，但在各自的树突野区域有所不同。我称这些新细胞为“J-家族”。由于树突域Ara与感官敏锐度密切相关，J家族可以在一定的空间分辨率范围内处理物体运动。在这里，我提出了一系列实验，以更好地了解这一新的细胞类型家族，包括它们的相对组织、感受野特性和发育。我还将测试候选分子在J细胞回路形成和功能中的作用。这些研究将揭示相关神经元组发育的基本原理，并阐明感觉处理的相似方面如何在中枢神经系统中不同的细胞类型家族中被委派。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Precise connectivity between diverse neuronal subtypes is required for nervous system function. In the retina, progress has been made understanding how individual subtypes of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form lamina-restricted circuits with specific functions, like detection of object movement (termed direction selectivity [DS]). Less is known about the way closely related neuronal sets (families) are organized and connected to process related visual information. Recently, I discovered multiple members of a new RGC family, including two previously undescribed RGC subtypes. These cells show striking morphological and molecular similarity to a known DS cell called J-RGCs, but differ in their respective dendritic field areas. I call these new cells the "J-family". Because dendritic field ara correlates strongly with sensory acuity, the J-family may process object motion over a range of spatial resolutions. Here I propose a series of experiments to better understand this novel cell type family, including their relative organization, receptive field properties, and development. I will also test the role of candidate molecules in J-cell circuit formation and function. These studies will reveal fundamental principles in the development of a related neuronal set, and elucidate how similar aspects of sensory processing may be delegated across divergent cell type families in the CNS.