scholarly journals Receptive field mechanisms of cat X and Y retinal ganglion cells.

1979 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
J D Victor ◽  
R M Shapley
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Response ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
First Order ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

We investigated receptive field properties of cat retinal ganglion cells with visual stimuli which were sinusoidal spatial gratings amplitude modulated in time by a sum of sinusoids. Neural responses were analyzed into the Fourier components at the input frequencies and the components at sum and difference frequencies. The first-order frequency response of X cells had a marked spatial phase and spatial frequency dependence which could be explained in terms of linear interactions between center and surround mechanisms in the receptive field. The second-order frequency response of X cells was much smaller than the first-order frequency response at all spatial frequencies. The spatial phase and spatial frequency dependence of the first-order frequency response in Y cells in some ways resembled that of X cells. However, the Y first-order response declined to zero at a much lower spatial frequency than in X cells. Furthermore, the second-order frequency response was larger in Y cells; the second-order frequency components became the dominant part of the response for patterns of high spatial frequency. This implies that the receptive field center and surround mechanisms are physiologically quite different in Y cells from those in X cells, and that the Y cells also receive excitatory drive from an additional nonlinear receptive field mechanism.

Correlated firing of cat retinal ganglion cells. I. Spontaneously active inputs to X- and Y-cells

1983 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. Mastronarde
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Optic Tract ◽  
Amacrine Cells ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
X And Y Cells ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Shared Inputs

1. The shared inputs to cat retinal ganglion cells have been investigated by studying correlations in the maintained firing of neighboring ganglion cells. The firing of one cell was recorded from its axon in the optic tract, while that of a neighboring cell was simultaneously recorded with a second electrode in the retina. The recorded cells were of the X- or Y-type and viewed a uniform screen having a luminance of 10 cd/m2. 2. Ganglion cells with overlapping receptive-field centers showed two basic forms of correlated firing: if they had the same center sign (both on-center or both off-center), then they tended to fire at the same time, as shown by a peak in their cross-correlogram; but if they had opposite center signs (an on- and and off-center cell), they tended not to fire at the same time, as shown by a well, or dip, in their cross-correlogram. 3. Both of these tendencies were strongest for cells that were close together and did not appear for cells with nonoverlapping receptive-field centers. The strongest correlations were between neighboring Y-cells, cells with large fields, and the weakest were between X-cells, cells with small fields. In general, the strength of the correlations depended primarily on the area of the overlap between fields. 4. These correlations in maintained firing appear to be principally or entirely caused by shared inputs to the ganglion cells from more distal retinal neurons. The signals from these distal neurons appear to have strong, brief (4-8 ms), well-defined effects on ganglion cells, which are observed even in the absence of a visual stimulus. The inputs responsible for the correlated firing are thus referred to as spontaneously active inputs or simply as active inputs. 5. An analysis of the features in the various types of cross-correlograms supports the following statements about these spontaneously active inputs. a) There are two types of active inputs: inputs excitatory to on-center cells and simultaneously inhibitory to off-center center cells and inputs excitatory to off-center cells and simultaneously inhibitory to on-center cells. b) The active inputs of each type provide excitation to both X- and Y-cells of one center sign and inhibition to both X- and Y-cells of the other center sign. There is no evidence for a special class of more selective inputs providing input only to X-cells or only to Y-cells. c) Active inputs account for the majority (about 80%) of the spikes in the maintained activity of Y-cells but only a small fraction (about 15%) of the spikes in the maintained activity of X-cells. 6. A likely source of the active input signals appears to be spiking amacrine cells with a low rate of spontaneous activity.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal frequency responses of cat retinal ganglion cells.

1987 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 599-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
L J Frishman ◽  
A W Freeman ◽  
J B Troy ◽  
D E Schweitzer-Tong ◽  
C Enroth-Cugell
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Uniform Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Frequency Responses ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

Spatiotemporal frequency responses were measured at different levels of light adaptation for cat X and Y retinal ganglion cells. Stationary sinusoidal luminance gratings whose contrast was modulated sinusoidally in time or drifting gratings were used as stimuli. Under photopic illumination, when the spatial frequency was held constant at or above its optimum value, an X cell's responsivity was essentially constant as the temporal frequency was changed from 1.5 to 30 Hz. At lower temporal frequencies, responsivity rolled off gradually, and at higher ones it rolled off rapidly. In contrast, when the spatial frequency was held constant at a low value, an X cell's responsivity increased continuously with temporal frequency from a very low value at 0.1 Hz to substantial values at temporal frequencies higher than 30 Hz, from which responsivity rolled off again. Thus, 0 cycles X deg-1 became the optimal spatial frequency above 30 Hz. For Y cells under photopic illumination, the spatiotemporal interaction was even more complex. When the spatial frequency was held constant at or above its optimal value, the temporal frequency range over which responsivity was constant was shorter than that of X cells. At lower spatial frequencies, this range was not appreciably different. As for X cells, 0 cycles X deg-1 was the optimal spatial frequency above 30 Hz. Temporal resolution (defined as the high temporal frequency at which responsivity had fallen to 10 impulses X s-1) for a uniform field was approximately 95 Hz for X cells and approximately 120 Hz for Y cells under photopic illumination. Temporal resolution was lower at lower adaptation levels. The results were interpreted in terms of a Gaussian center-surround model. For X cells, the surround and center strengths were nearly equal at low and moderate temporal frequencies, but the surround strength exceeded the center strength above 30 Hz. Thus, the response to a spatially uniform stimulus at high temporal frequencies was dominated by the surround. In addition, at temporal frequencies above 30 Hz, the center radius increased.

Receptive-field properties of Q retinal ganglion cells of the cat

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.B. Troy ◽  
D.E. Schweitzer-Tong ◽  
Ch. Enroth-Cugell
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Spatial Summation ◽  
Nonlinear Behavior ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Temporal Properties ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

AbstractThe goal of this work was to provide a detailed quantitative description of the recepii ve-field properties of one of the types of rarely encountered retinal ganglion cells of cat; the cell named the Q-cell by Enroth-Cugell et al. (1983). Quantitative comparisons are made between the discharge statistics and between the spatial receptive properties of Q-cells and the most common of cat retinal ganglion cells, the X-cells. The center-surround receptive field of the Q-cell is modeled here quantitatively and the typical Q-cell is described. The temporal properties of the Q-cell receptive field were also investigated and the dynamics of the center mechanism of the Q-cell modeled quantitatively. In addition, the response vs. contrast relationship for a Q-cell at optimal spatial and temporal frequencies is shown, and Q-cells are also demonstrated to have nonlinear spatial summation somewhat like that exhibited by Y-cells, although much higher contrasts are required to reveal this nonlinear behavior. Finally, the relationship between Q-cells and Barlow and Levick's (1969) luminance units was investigated and it was found that most Q-cells could not be luminance units.

scholarly journals Spatial receptive field properties of rat retinal ganglion cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 403-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
WALTER F. HEINE ◽  
CHRISTOPHER L. PASSAGLIA
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Ganglion Cell ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
X And Y Cells ◽  
Y Cells

AbstractThe rat is a popular animal model for vision research, yet there is little quantitative information about the physiological properties of the cells that provide its brain with visual input, the retinal ganglion cells. It is not clear whether rats even possess the full complement of ganglion cell types found in other mammals. Since such information is important for evaluating rodent models of visual disease and elucidating the function of homologous and heterologous cells in different animals, we recorded from rat ganglion cells in vivo and systematically measured their spatial receptive field (RF) properties using spot, annulus, and grating patterns. Most of the recorded cells bore likeness to cat X and Y cells, exhibiting brisk responses, center-surround RFs, and linear or nonlinear spatial summation. The others resembled various types of mammalian W cell, including local-edge-detector cells, suppressed-by-contrast cells, and an unusual type with an ON–OFF surround. They generally exhibited sluggish responses, larger RFs, and lower responsiveness. The peak responsivity of brisk-nonlinear (Y-type) cells was around twice that of brisk-linear (X-type) cells and several fold that of sluggish cells. The RF size of brisk-linear and brisk-nonlinear cells was indistinguishable, with average center and surround diameters of 5.6 ± 1.3 and 26.4 ± 11.3 deg, respectively. In contrast, the center diameter of recorded sluggish cells averaged 12.8 ± 7.9 deg. The homogeneous RF size of rat brisk cells is unlike that of cat X and Y cells, and its implication regarding the putative roles of these two ganglion cell types in visual signaling is discussed.

scholarly journals The involvement of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the organization of cat retinal ganglion cell receptive fields. A study with picrotoxin and bicuculline.

1976 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
A W Kirby ◽  
C Enroth-Cugell
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Control Response ◽  
Subsequent Effect ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

The effects of picrotoxin and bicuculline upon the discharge pattern of center-surround organized cat retinal ganglion cells of X and Y type were studied. All experiments were carried out under scotopic or possibly low mesopic conditions; mostly but not exclusively on-center cells were studied. Stimuli were chosen so that responses were either; (a) "purely" central; (b) surround dominated; or (c) clearly mixed but center dominated. In each case a pre-drug control response was estaboished, the drug was administered intravenously, and its subsequent effect upon the response was observed. In Y cells both picrotoxin and bicucullin caused the center-driven component of the response to become somewhat reduced in magnitude, while the surround component was substantially reduced. There was thus a change in center-surround balance in favor of the center-driven component. Responses of X cells remained virtually unaffected by both picrotoxin and bicuculline.

Steady discharges of X and Y retinal ganglion cells of cat under photopic illuminance

1992 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 535-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.B. Troy ◽  
J.G. Robson
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Renewal Process ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Power Spectral ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells

AbstractThe discharges of ON- and OFF-center X and Y retinal ganglion cells in the presence of stationary patterns or of a uniform field of photopic luminance were recorded from urethane-anesthetized adult cats. The interval statistics and power spectra of these discharges were determined from these discharge records. The patterned stimuli were selected and positioned with respect to a cell's receptive field so as to generate steady discharges that were different in mean discharge rate from that cell's discharge for the diffuse field. The interval statistics of discharges recorded for diffuse or patterned illumination for all cell types can be modeled, approximately, as coming from renewal processes with gamma-distributed intervals. The gamma order of the interval distributions was found to be nearly proportional to the mean discharge rate for X cells, but not for Y cells. Typical values for the gamma orders and their dependence on mean rate for different cell types are given. The same model of a renewal process with gamma-distributed intervals is used to model the measured power spectra and performs well. When the gamma order is proportional to mean rate, the power spectral density at low temporal frequencies is independent of discharge rate. Gamma order was proportional to mean rate for X cells but not for Y cells. Nonetheless, the power spectral densities of both cell types at low frequencies were approximately independent of discharge rate. Hence, noise in this band of frequencies can be considered additive. The consequences of departures from the renewal process and of the gamma order not being proportional to mean rate are considered. The significance of different rates of discharge for signaling is discussed.

Direction biases of X and Y type retinal ganglion cells in the cat

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 1414-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Shou ◽  
A. G. Leventhal ◽  
K. G. Thompson ◽  
Y. Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Visual Responses ◽  
Stimulus Motion ◽  
General Direction ◽  
X And Y Cells ◽  
Y Cells

1. It has been reported that in the cat only a specialized group of retinal ganglion cells constituting approximately 1% of the overall population are direction sensitive. Two major groups of retinal ganglion cells, the X and Y cells, have been reported not to be sensitive to the direction of stimulus motion. 2. We recorded action potentials of retinal ganglion cells intraocularly. We studied quantitatively the visual responses elicited by drifting sinusoidal gratings of various spatial frequencies, bars, and spots. 3. The results confirm previous reports that most cat retinal ganglion cells exhibit orientation biases when tested with gratings of relatively high spatial frequency. 4. Additionally, we find that 22% of X and 34% of Y type retinal ganglion cells exhibit direction biases. Overall, Y cells displayed significantly stronger direction biases than did X cells. 5. In general, direction biases are clearest when the test gratings are of relatively low spatial frequency. 6. The direction biases of X and Y cells subserving the central 15 degrees of retina were weaker than those of cells subserving more peripheral regions. 7. The direction-biased responses of cat ganglion cells were similar to those of X and Y type relay cells in the cat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd). Thus we suggest that the direction biases of LGNd cells are a reflection of their retinal inputs.

DIFFERENT RETINAL GANGLION CELLS HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL GOALS

1992 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 237-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZHAOPING LI
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Spectral Information ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Mammalian Retina ◽  
Cell Groups ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
P Cells

In mammalian retina, the Y (or M) ganglion cells are significantly more transient in response, more selective to stimuli of low spatial and high temporal frequencies and less selective to spectral information than the X (or P) cells. It is shown that these differences in cell properties can be explained by a model that assigns different functional goals to the different ganglion cell types. In this model, the goal of the Y cells is to extract as fast as possible the minimum amount of information necessary for quick responses. In contrast, the goal of the X cells is to extract as much information as possible. Temporal characteristics of the information extraction by the two cell groups are also derived.

X-cells in the cat retina: relationships between the morphology and physiology of a class of cat retinal ganglion cells

1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 940-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Stanford
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Field Size ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Cat Retina ◽  
Area Centralis ◽  
Dendritic Arbors ◽  
X Cells ◽  
The Relationship

1. The morphology of 21 physiologically characterized X-cells in the cat retina was studied using intracellular recording and injection with horseradish peroxidase. The data from these experiments were used to test directly the relationships between specific structural and functional characteristics of a sample of individual retinal ganglion cells of the same anatomical and physiological class. Where possible, the response properties of 53 other retinal X-cells that were not successfully injected and recovered are compared with those of the labeled sample. These comparisons, which included conduction velocities (both intraretinal and extraretinal) and receptive-field size, indicate that the labeled X-cells are a representative sample of the population of retinal X-cells at corresponding eccentricities. 2. The somata of this group of injected retinal X-cells increase in size with increasing distance from the area centralis up to 13 degrees eccentricity (the greatest distance from the area centralis at which an X-cell was injected and recovered). The soma sizes of this sample of retinal ganglion cells range from 143.5 to 529.9 micron 2 (diam = 13.5-26.0 micron). Comparison of the soma sizes of the injected and recovered retinal X-cells with those of 300 Nissl-stained neurons at comparable eccentricities in the same retinae indicate that the injected sample had soma sizes that are consistent with their classification as "medium-sized" retinal ganglion cells (5, 69, 74). 3. All of the physiologically characterized retinal X-cells of this study have the compact dendritic arbors described to the morphological class of retinal ganglion cell called beta-cells by Boycott and Wassle (5). The dendrites of some of these neurons have many spinelike appendages, whereas those of other cells are nearly appendage free. We found no obvious correlation between the presence of dendritic appendages and any specific response characteristic ("ON-" or "OFF-center", etc). Like the size of the soma, both the diameter of the dendritic arbors of these cells, and the number of primary dendrites (those dendrites that originate directly from the soma), increase with increasing distance from the area centralis. 4. Since both morphological and physiological data were obtained for these neurons, it is possible to describe the relationship between the size of the receptive-field center and the diameter of the dendritic arbor for individual retinal ganglion cells. These comparisons show that the relationship between the anatomical measure and this response parameter for the entire sample of labeled X-cells is not as strong as had previously been suggested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Interactions of Inhibition and Excitation in the Light-Evoked Currents of X Type Retinal Ganglion Cells

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 2975-2990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan D. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Glutamate Release ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Inhibitory Conductance ◽  
X Cells

Cohen, Ethan D. Interactions of inhibition and excitation in the light-evoked currents of X type retinal ganglion cells. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 2975–2990, 1998. The excitatory and inhibitory conductances driving the light-evoked currents (LECs) of cat and ferret on- and off-center X ganglion cells were examined in sliced and isolated retina preparations using center spot stimulation in tetrodotoxin (TTX)-containing Ringer. on-center X ganglion cells showed an increase in an excitatory conductance reversed positive to +20 mV during the spot stimulus. At spot offset, a transient inhibitory conductance was activated on many cells that reversed near E Cl. off-center X ganglion cells showed increases in a sustained inhibitory conductance that reversed near E Cl during spot stimulation. At spot offset, an excitatory conductance was activated that reversed positive to +20 mV. The light-evoked current kinetics of on- and off-center X cells to spot stimulation did not significantly differ in form from their Y cell counterparts in TTX Ringer. When inhibition was blocked, current-voltage relations of the light-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) of both on- and off-X cells were L-shaped and reversed near 0 mV. The EPSCs averaged between 300 and 500 pA at −80 mV. The metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB), was used to block on-center bipolar cell function. The LECs of on-X ganglion cells were totally blocked in APB at all holding potentials. APB caused prominent reductions in the dark holding current and synaptic noise of on-X cells. In contrast, the LECs of off-X ganglion cells remained in APB. An increase in the dark holding current was observed. The excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist combination of d-amino-5-phosphono-pentanoic acid (d-AP5) and 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo-(F)-quinoxalinedione (NBQX) was used to block ionotropic glutamate receptor retinal neurotransmission. The LECs of all on-X ganglion cells were totally blocked, and their holding currents were reduced similar to the actions of APB. For off-X ganglion cells, the antagonist combination always blocked the excitatory current at light-off; however, in many cells, the inhibitory current at light-on remained. on-center X ganglion cells receive active excitation during center illumination, and a transient inhibition at light-off. In contrast off-center X ganglion cells experience a sustained active inhibition during center illumination, and a shorter increase in excitation at light-offset. Cone bipolar cells provide a resting level of glutamate release on X ganglion cells on which their light-evoked currents are superimposed.

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