Abstract

Retinal photoreceptors sit at the interface between the brain and the visual world. Their task is central to vision: the translation of light energy into an electrical signal that can be passed along and analyzed by other cells in the nervous system. An understanding of how photoreceptors accomplish this vital task is requisite for understanding of human vision, and a number of experiments in the proposed research plan will focus on the mechanism of generation of the electrical signal within the photoreceptors. Fundamental properties of individual ion channels that underlie the electrical signal will be studied, as well as the gating of the channels by the intracellular chemical messenger, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, that is modulated by light. In these experiments, a sensitive electrical recording technique will be used to measure the ionic current flowing through a single open channel, either in an intact cell or in an excised patch of plasma membrane. Another important step in vision is the transmission of the electrical signal in the photoreceptors to other neurons in the retina; this occurs via chemical synaptic transmission, but the identity of the neurotransmitter released by the photoreceptors is unknown. Other experiments will be aimed at the identification of this neurotransmitter released from the synaptic terminals of both rod and cone photoreceptors.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY003821-11
Application #
3258284
Study Section
Visual Sciences A Study Section (VISA)
Project Start
1981-08-01
Project End
1992-07-31
Budget Start
1991-08-01
Budget End
1992-07-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1991
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794

  Publications

Vaithianathan, Thirumalini; Henry, Diane; Akmentin, Wendy et al. (2016) Nanoscale dynamics of synaptic vesicle trafficking and fusion at the presynaptic active zone. Elife 5:
Vaithianathan, Thirumalini; Henry, Diane; Akmentin, Wendy et al. (2015) Functional roles of complexin in neurotransmitter release at ribbon synapses of mouse retinal bipolar neurons. J Neurosci 35:4065-70
Vaithianathan, Thirumalini; Matthews, Gary (2014) Visualizing synaptic vesicle turnover and pool refilling driven by calcium nanodomains at presynaptic active zones of ribbon synapses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111:8655-60
Vaithianathan, Thirumalini; Akmentin, Wendy; Henry, Diane et al. (2013) The ribbon-associated protein C-terminal-binding protein 1 is not essential for the structure and function of retinal ribbon synapses. Mol Vis 19:917-26
Vaithianathan, Thirumalini; Zanazzi, George; Henry, Diane et al. (2013) Stabilization of spontaneous neurotransmitter release at ribbon synapses by ribbon-specific subtypes of complexin. J Neurosci 33:8216-26
Vega, Ana V; Avila, Guillermo; Matthews, Gary (2013) Interaction between the transcriptional corepressor Sin3B and voltage-gated sodium channels modulates functional channel expression. Sci Rep 3:2809
Snellman, Josefin; Mehta, Bhupesh; Babai, Norbert et al. (2011) Acute destruction of the synaptic ribbon reveals a role for the ribbon in vesicle priming. Nat Neurosci 14:1135-41
Hunanyan, Arsen S; Alessi, Valentina; Patel, Samik et al. (2011) Alterations of action potentials and the localization of Nav1.6 sodium channels in spared axons after hemisection injury of the spinal cord in adult rats. J Neurophysiol 105:1033-44
Zanazzi, George; Matthews, Gary (2010) Enrichment and differential targeting of complexins 3 and 4 in ribbon-containing sensory neurons during zebrafish development. Neural Dev 5:24
Matthews, Gary; Fuchs, Paul (2010) The diverse roles of ribbon synapses in sensory neurotransmission. Nat Rev Neurosci 11:812-22

Showing the most recent 10 out of 57 publications