Structure and Function of Primate Retinal Circuits

了解视网膜的正常结构和功能对于了解视网膜的变化是很重要的。 发生在疾病、发育和衰老过程中。为此，该领域的一个长期目标 获得一个统一的功能，分子和形态分类的神经细胞类型， 灵长类动物的视网膜为了满足这一需求，我们将使用最先进的方法来询问神经元 在灵长类视网膜中分子定义的神经节和无长突细胞类型中起作用。我们的方法 将光诱发反应的双光子钙成像与一种新的高通量方法相结合， 在原位以前所未有的规模对细胞类型进行分子分类。我们将利用这一综合 确定分子定义的宽视野神经节细胞的功能特性的方法， GABA能无长突细胞类型迄今难以使用常规靶向 电生理学方法。在目标1中，我们将确定时空响应特性， 镶嵌和形态的神经节细胞类型，不成比例地代表在外周 视网膜。在目标2中，我们将研究抑制性神经元及其连接的区域差异 塑造中央凹和周边视网膜的功能反应特性。我们希望完成 这些目标将揭示新的见解独特的细胞和电路机制，形状 中央凹和周边视网膜中的视觉处理。

An understanding of the normal structure and function of the retina is important to appreciate changes that occur during disease, development and aging. To this end, a longstanding goal for the field has been to obtain a unified functional, molecular and morphological classification of the neural cell types in the primate retina. To address this need, we will use a state-of-the-art approach to interrogate neuronal function in molecularly-defined ganglion and amacrine cell types in primate retina. Our method combines two-photon calcium imaging of light-evoked responses with a novel, high-throughput method to molecularly classify cell types in situ and at unprecedented scale. We will use this integrated approach to determine the functional properties of molecularly-defined wide-field ganglion cells and GABAergic amacrine cell types that have hitherto been difficult to target using conventional electrophysiological approaches. In Aim 1, we will determine the spatiotemporal response properties, mosaics and morphologies of ganglion cell types that are disproportionately represented in peripheral retina. In Aim 2, we will examine how regional differences in inhibitory neurons and their connections shape the functional response properties of the foveal and peripheral retina. We expect that completion of these aims will reveal novel insights into the distinct cellular and circuit mechanisms that shape visual processing in the foveal and peripheral retina.