Time to change: retina sends a messenger to promote plasticity in visual cortex.
Maturation of GABA inhibitory circuitry in primary visual cortex activates the critical period of plasticity, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In the August 8th issue of Cell, Sugiyama et al. demonstrate that visual experience promotes the passage of a retina-derived homeoprotein along the visual pathway, which nurtures subclasses of cortical interneurons implicated in regulating critical period plasticity.
Huang
Z Josh
ZJ
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
Di Cristo
Graziella
G
D000818:Animals; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D008954:Models, Biological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid