title: Color-opponent responses of small and giant bipolar cells in the carp retina.
abstract: The physiological and morphological properties of color-opponent bipolar cells in the carp retina were studied. Fifty nine OFF-center bipolar cells and 63 ON-center bipolar cells out of about 500 total bipolar cells recorded showed color-opponent responses. The OFF-center color-opponent bipolar cells were classified into three subgroups according to their spectral and spatial responses. Fifty OFF-center color-opponent cells responded with depolarization to a blue light spot and with hyperpolarization to a red spot in the receptive-field center. The polarity of the surround response was opposite to that of center response at each wavelength. Therefore these cells were classified as OFF double-opponent cells (OFF-DO). Eight cells responded with hyperpolarization to a blue and green spot and with depolarization to a red spot. The surround responses of those cells were depolarizing at any wavelength (R+G- cell). One responded with hyperpolarization to a blue and red spot and with depolarization to a green spot. The surround response showed a different spectral characteristic from that of the center response. It responded with depolarization to a blue and green annulus and with hyperpolarization to a red annulus (R-G+B- cell). The ON-center color-opponent bipolar cells were similarly classified into three subgroups. Sixty of ON-center color-opponent cells were the double color-opponent type (ON-DO cell), showing the responses of opposite polarity to the OFF-DO cells. Two cells were classified as R- G+ cell, and one cell as R+G-B+ cell. Both OFF- and ON-DO cells were identified by their morphology as Cajal's giant bipolar cells, and R+G-, R-G+, R-G+B-, and R+G-B+ cells as Cajal's small bipolar cells. The analysis of the latency and the ionic mechanisms of their responses suggest that DO cells under light-adapted conditions receive direct inputs from long-wavelength (red) cones, RG cells from middle-wavelength (green) cones, and RGB cells from short-wavelength (blue) cones. Possible mechanisms of the opponent inputs to these bipolar cells are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine. Kawasaki, Japan. k2shimbo@marianna-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimbo
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Toyoda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kujiraoka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase