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 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 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.

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 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.

Velocity tuning of cells in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and retina of the cat

1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1393-1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Frishman ◽  
D. E. Schweitzer-Tong ◽  
E. B. Goldstein
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Stimulus Strength ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Field Center ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
X And Y Cells ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Receptive Field Center

Velocity tuning curves were measured for on-center cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat using a stimulus approximately the height and one-fourth the width of the hand-plotted receptive-field center. The standard stimulus strength was 1 log unit above the mesopic background luminance. Lateral geniculate Y-cells had significantly higher preferred velocities than geniculate X-cells when cells with receptive fields having the same range of retinal eccentricities were compared. Preferred velocity increased for both classes of cells as a function of retinal eccentricity. For all geniculate cells, preferred velocity increased with stimulus strength, showing an approximately threefold increase in preferred velocity for each log unit of stimulus strength. Preferred velocity was measured for on-center retinal ganglion cells with receptive fields at the same range of retinal eccentricities as the geniculate sample and under the same stimulus conditions. Preferred velocities of retinal ganglion Y-cells were significantly higher than those of ganglion X-cells, and as for geniculate cells, preferred velocities increased with increasing stimulus strength. However, the classes were better separated in the geniculate than in the retina; with geniculate X-cells having lower preferred velocities than retinal X-cells, and the geniculate Y-cells having higher preferred velocities than retinal Y-cells. For retinal ganglion cells, smaller receptive-field center sizes of the X-cells than the Y-cells could account in large part for the lower preferred velocities of the X-cells. However, for geniculate cells, differences in receptive-field center size could not account as well for the differences in preferred velocity between X- and Y-cells. Furthermore, field size differences could not account for the differences in preferred velocity between ganglion and geniculate cells of the same functional class. Experiments comparing responses to moving stimuli and flashed stationary stimuli show that stimuli moving at high velocities are in effect equivalent to brief-duration flashes, and responses are governed by the same laws of temporal summation in both cases. When velocity tuning curves were measured with long bars that enhanced peripheral inhibition, geniculate X- and Y-cells were better separated than ganglion X- and Y-cells, not only with respect to preferred velocity but also, with respect to velocity selectivity (width of the velocity tuning curve) and differential velocity sensitivity (slope of the leg of the velocity tuning curves ascending from low velocities to the peak).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Inhibitory network properties shaping the light evoked responses of cat alpha retinal ganglion cells

2003 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRENDAN J. O'BRIEN ◽  
RANDAL C. RICHARDSON ◽  
DAVID M. BERSON
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Gaba Receptors ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Light Response ◽  
Amacrine Cells ◽  
Alpha Cell ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Alpha Cells

Cat retinal ganglion cells of the Y (or alpha) type respond to luminance changes opposite those preferred by their receptive-field centers with a transient hyperpolarization. Here, we examine the spatial organization and synaptic basis of this light response by means of whole-cell current-clamp recordings made in vitro. The hyperpolarization was largest when stimulus spots approximated the size of the receptive-field center, and diminished substantially for larger spots. The hyperpolarization was largely abolished by bath application of strychnine, a blocker of glycinergic inhibition. Picrotoxin, an antagonist of ionotropic GABA receptors, greatly reduced the attenuation of the hyperpolarizing response for large spots. The data are consistent with a model in which (1) the hyperpolarization reflects inhibition by glycinergic amacrine cells of bipolar terminals presynaptic to the alpha cells, and perhaps direct inhibition of the alpha cell as well; and (2) the attenuation of the hyperpolarization by large spots reflects surround inhibition of the glycinergic amacrine by GABAergic amacrine cells. This circuitry may moderate nonlinearities in the alpha-cell light response and could account for some excitatory and inhibitory influences on alpha cells known to arise from outside the classical receptive field.

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.

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