title: Melanopsin mediates retrograde visual signaling in the retina.
abstract: The canonical flow of visual signals proceeds from outer to inner retina (photoreceptors → bipolar cells → ganglion cells). However, melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells are photosensitive and functional sustained light signaling to retinal dopaminergic interneurons persists in the absence of rods and cones. Here we show that the sustained-type light response of retinal dopamine neurons requires melanopsin and that the response is mediated by AMPA-type glutamate receptors, defining a retrograde retinal visual signaling pathway that fully reverses the usual flow of light signals in retinal circuits.
authors.affiliation: Eye Research Institute, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America. zhang@oakland.edu
authors.forename: Dao-Qi
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Belenky
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sollars
authors.forename: Gary E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000528:radiation effects; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000528:radiation effects; D000099210:Melanopsin
chemical_list: D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D017299:Rod Opsins; D000099210:Melanopsin