The goal of this work is to determine the cellular mechanisms of early visual processing in the primate eye. Light-evoked electrical signals will be measured from single photoreceptors of primates. Recordings will be made with patch electrodes and suction electrodes from isolated retinas of humans and macaque monkeys. These results will be used to make a quantitative comparison to human visual abilities and limitations. The objective is to determine how the characteristics of the neural mechanisms of the eye shape our visual experience. Two major topics will be addressed. 1) Neural connectivity: What is the functional connectivity between photoreceptors in the primate eye? How does the convergence of photoreceptor signals influence wavelength coding and the detectability of dim lights? 2) Light-adaptation: What is the time course and amplitude of the electrical response to a photon and how is it altered by changes in the ambient level of illumination? How does this compare to alterations in human vision as a whole? What are the mechanisms responsible for the long-lasting excitation of rods and the rag id recovery of cone excitation following intense light? A detailed account of the electrical response properties of single retinal neurons in the primate eye is required for a better understanding of the cellular basis of clinical ERG recordings. These results will be useful for developing better diagnostic tools for the detection of retinal pathology and for the monitoring of treatments.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY007642-07
Application #
2161641
Study Section
Visual Sciences C Study Section (VISC)
Project Start
1988-07-01
Project End
1998-06-30
Budget Start
1995-07-01
Budget End
1996-06-30
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Francisco
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
073133571
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94143
Li, Peter H; Verweij, Jan; Long, James H et al. (2012) Gap-junctional coupling of mammalian rod photoreceptors and its effect on visual detection. J Neurosci 32:3552-62
Packer, Orin S; Verweij, Jan; Li, Peter H et al. (2010) Blue-yellow opponency in primate S cone photoreceptors. J Neurosci 30:568-72
Hornstein, Eric P; Verweij, Jan; Li, Peter H et al. (2005) Gap-junctional coupling and absolute sensitivity of photoreceptors in macaque retina. J Neurosci 25:11201-9
Hornstein, Eric P; Verweij, Jan; Schnapf, Julie L (2004) Electrical coupling between red and green cones in primate retina. Nat Neurosci 7:745-50
Verweij, Jan; Hornstein, Eric P; Schnapf, Julie L (2003) Surround antagonism in macaque cone photoreceptors. J Neurosci 23:10249-57
Schneeweis, D M; Schnapf, J L (2000) Noise and light adaptation in rods of the macaque monkey. Vis Neurosci 17:659-66
Schneeweis, D M; Schnapf, J L (1999) The photovoltage of macaque cone photoreceptors: adaptation, noise, and kinetics. J Neurosci 19:1203-16
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Schneeweis, D M; Schnapf, J L (1995) Photovoltage of rods and cones in the macaque retina. Science 268:1053-6
Kraft, T W; Schneeweis, D M; Schnapf, J L (1993) Visual transduction in human rod photoreceptors. J Physiol 464:747-65

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