Genetic identification of an On-Off direction-selective retinal ganglion cell subtype reveals a layer-specific subcortical map of posterior motion.
Motion detection is an essential component of visual processing. On-Off direction-selective retinal ganglion cells (On-Off DSGCs) detect objects moving along specific axes of the visual field due to their precise retinal circuitry. The brain circuitry of On-Off DSGCs, however, is largely unknown. We report a mouse with GFP expressed selectively by the On-Off DSGCs that detect posterior motion (On-Off pDSGCs), allowing two-photon targeted recordings of their light responses and delineation of their complete map of central connections. On-Off pDSGCs project exclusively to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and superior colliculus and in both targets form synaptic lamina that are separate from a lamina corresponding to non-DSGCs. Thus, individual On-Off DSGC subtypes are molecularly distinct and establish circuits that map specific qualities of directional motion to dedicated subcortical areas. This suggests that each RGC subtype represents a unique parallel pathway whose synaptic specificity in the retina is recapitulated in central targets.
Huberman
Andrew D
AD
Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA. adh1@stanford.edu
Wei
Wei
W
Elstrott
Justin
J
Stafford
Ben K
BK
Feller
Marla B
MB
Barres
Ben A
BA
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
D049408:Luminescent Agents; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins