Four alpha ganglion cell types in mouse retina: Function, structure, and molecular signatures

The retina communicates with the brain using ≥30 parallel channels, each carried by axons of distinct types of retinal ganglion cells. In every mammalian retina one finds so-called "alpha" ganglion cells (αRGCs), identified by their large cell bodies, stout axons, wide and mono-stratified...

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Published in:	PloS one Vol. 12; no. 7; p. e0180091
Main Authors:	Krieger, Brenna, Qiao, Mu, Rousso, David L., Sanes, Joshua R., Meister, Markus
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States Public Library of Science 28.07.2017 Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects:	Action potential Action Potentials - physiology Analysis Animals Asymmetry Axons Axons - metabolism BASIC (programming language) Biology and Life Sciences Brain Cellular biology Channels Dendrites - metabolism Diagnosis Electrophysiology Female Ganglion cysts Gene expression Genetic aspects Genetic engineering Health aspects Integrases - metabolism Kinetics Laboratory animals Light effects Male Mammals Medicine and Health Sciences Mice Molecular structure Morphology Neurofilaments Neurons Neurosciences Physiology Polarity Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated - metabolism Receptive field Retina Retina - cytology Retinal ganglion cells Retinal Ganglion Cells - metabolism Signaling Social Sciences Structure-function relationships Transgenic mice Transient response Visual aspects Visual Pathways - physiology Visual signals United States > US Massachusetts California
ISSN:	1932-6203, 1932-6203
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	The retina communicates with the brain using ≥30 parallel channels, each carried by axons of distinct types of retinal ganglion cells. In every mammalian retina one finds so-called "alpha" ganglion cells (αRGCs), identified by their large cell bodies, stout axons, wide and mono-stratified dendritic fields, and high levels of neurofilament protein. In the mouse, three αRGC types have been described based on responses to light steps: On-sustained, Off-sustained, and Off-transient. Here we employed a transgenic mouse line that labels αRGCs in the live retina, allowing systematic targeted recordings. We characterize the three known types and identify a fourth, with On-transient responses. All four αRGC types share basic aspects of visual signaling, including a large receptive field center, a weak antagonistic surround, and absence of any direction selectivity. They also share a distinctive waveform of the action potential, faster than that of other RGC types. Morphologically, they differ in the level of dendritic stratification within the IPL, which accounts for their response properties. Molecularly, each type has a distinct signature. A comparison across mammals suggests a common theme, in which four large-bodied ganglion cell types split the visual signal into four channels arranged symmetrically with respect to polarity and kinetics.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 14 content type line 23 Conceptualization: BK MQ JS MM.Data curation: BK MQ DR MM.Formal analysis: BK MQ DR JS MM.Funding acquisition: DR JS MM.Investigation: BK MQ DR.Methodology: BK DR JS MM.Project administration: JS MM.Software: BK DR MM.Supervision: JS MM.Validation: JS MM.Visualization: BK MM.Writing – original draft: BK MM.Writing – review & editing: BK MQ DR JS MM. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0180091