title: Ganglion cells of a short-wavelength-sensitive cone pathway in New World monkeys: morphology and physiology.
abstract: We have studied the morphology and physiology of retinal ganglion cells of a short-wavelength-sensitive cone (SWS-cone) pathway in dichromatic and trichromatic New World anthropoids, the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella) and tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). In Old World anthropoids, in which males and females are both trichromats, blue-ON/yellow-OFF retinal ganglion cells have excitatory SWS-cone and inhibitory middle- and long-wavelength-sensitive (MWS- and LWS-) cone inputs, and have been anatomically identified as small-field bistratified ganglion cells (SB-cells) (Dacey & Lee, 1994). Among retinal ganglion cells of New World monkeys, we find SB-cells which have very similar morphology to such cells in macaque and human; for example, the inner dendritic tree is larger and denser than the outer dendritic tree. We also find blue-on retinal ganglion cells of the capuchin to have physiological responses strongly resembling such cells of the macaque monkey retina; for example, responses were more sustained, with a gentler low frequency roll-off than MC-cells, and no evidence of contrast gain control. There was no difference between dichromatic and trichromatic individuals. The results support the view that SWS-cone pathways are similarly organized in New and Old World primates, consistent with the hypothesis that these pathways form a phylogenetically ancient color system.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002428:Cebus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C013411:biocytin; D008239:Lysine