Visual responses in the lateral geniculate evoked by Cx36-independent rod pathways.
Emerging evidence indicates rods can communicate with retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via pathways that do not involve gap-junctions. Here we investigated the significance of such pathways for central visual responses, using mice lacking a key gap junction protein (Cx36(-/-)) and carrying a mutation that disrupts cone phototransduction (Gnat2(cpfl3)). Electrophysiological recordings spanning the lateral geniculate revealed rod-mediated ON and OFF visual responses in virtually every cell from all major anatomical sub-compartments of this nucleus. Hence, we demonstrate that one or more classes of RGC receive input from Cx36-independent rod pathways and drive extensive ON and OFF responses across the visual thalamus.
Brown
Timothy M
TM
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. timothy.brown@manchester.ac.uk
Allen
Annette E
AE
Wynne
Jonathan
J
Paul
David L
DL
Piggins
Hugh D
HD
Lucas
Robert J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D017630:Connexins / Q000172:deficiency*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*
D017630:Connexins