Retinal melanopsin pathway: Signaling & Connectivity

描述（由申请人提供）：黑视素是一种推定的色素，最近显示存在于大鼠和小鼠中的一小部分（1-2%）内在光敏视网膜神经节细胞中。这些细胞投射到大脑中的非图像形成视觉中心，例如视交叉上核、膝状体间叶和橄榄顶盖前核。这项计划的长期目标是详细了解黑视蛋白相关视觉通路的结构和功能。具体目标是： 1)为了详细绘制含有黑视蛋白的视网膜神经节细胞向小鼠大脑的投射， 2)为了评估黑视蛋白相关信号与视杆/视锥信号对小鼠非图像形成视觉功能的贡献， 3)研究表达黑视素的本征光敏视网膜神经节细胞的光反应和光转导机制， 4)研究灵长类及其他脊椎动物视网膜表达黑视素的神经元的特性。 实验方法将结合联合收割机小鼠遗传学，细胞生物学，电生理学和一些合作的整体动物生理和行为实验。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Melanopsin is a putative photopigment recently shown to be present in a small subset (1-2%) of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells in rat and mouse. These cells project to non-image-forming visual centers in the brain, such as the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the intergeniculate leaflet and the olivary pretectal nucleus. The long-term objective of this proposal is to understand the structure and function of the melanopsin-associated visual pathway in detail. The specific aims are: 1) To map the projections of the melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells to the mouse brain in detail, 2) To assess the contribution of melanopsin-associated signaling versus that of rod/cone signaling to non-image-forming visual functions in mouse, 3) To study the light responses and the phototransduction mechanism of the intrinsically photosensitive, melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells, and 4) To study the characteristics of the melanopsin-expressing retinal neurons in primates and other vertebrates. The experimental approach will combine mouse genetics, cell biology, electrophysiology and some collaborative whole-animal physiological and behavioral experiments.