Orientation tuning--a crooked path to the straight and narrow.
Neurons in visual cortex are selective for the orientation of a visual stimulus, while the receptive fields of their thalamic input are circular. Cortical orientation selectivity arises from the organization of both thalamic input and local cortical circuits. In this issue of Neuron, Schummers and colleagues provide evidence that the local circuit mechanisms contributing to orientation selectivity differ depending on the local organization of the orientation map.
Callaway
Edward M
EM
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Systems Neurobiology Laboratories, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002415:Cats; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*