We have developed a mouse model of visual system development which characterizes the structural and functional changes occurring between retinal ganglion cell axons and their postsynaptic targets in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of thalamus. While many of the changes in retinogeniculate axon patterning and connectivity have been described, a number of issues remain unresolved. For example we know little about the neural elements and intracellular signaling cascades that govern why certain retinal inputs are preserved and strengthened while others are weakened and eventually eliminated. While many of the inductive changes in connectivity rely on a spontaneous retinal activity and a Hebbian form of synaptic plasticity, the role of visually evoked activity and the synaptic plasticity associated with the maintenance of newly remodeled connections has not been fully explored. Detailed morphological information about the growth and maturation of retinogeniculate synapses and the dendrites of LGN relay cells is also needed to fully appreciate how the remodeling of retinal connections occurs. The major goals of this renewal is to use electrophysiological, anatomical, and biochemical techniques to detail the nature of L-type Ca2+ channel activity an event that appears essential for mediating activity dependent plasticity in LGN;to establish a link between L-type activity and the remodeling of retinogeniculate connections;to explore how alterations in visually evoked activity affect the maintenance of newly remodeled retinogeniculate connections;and to examine the dendritic morphology of developing LGN cells and determine how their structure-function relations are coordinated with the remodeling of retinal axons. Studies are done in wild-type pigmented mice as well as those in which L-type Ca2+ channel expression and activity has been severely attenuated by the targeted deletion of the ?3 subunit. The developing retinogeniculate pathway in the mouse has emerged as a powerful model system to study the mechanisms underlying the remodeling of synaptic connections. Therefore, these studies will provide valuable information about how the developing brain forms precise patterns of connections and offer further insight into the study and treatment of developmental and neurological disorders that result from the formation of abnormal patterns of connectivity.

Public Health Relevance

These studies will provide valuable information about how the developing brain forms precise patterns of connections and offer further insight into the study and treatment of developmental and neurological disorders that result from the formation of abnormal patterns of connectivity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY012716-12
Application #
8204643
Study Section
Central Visual Processing Study Section (CVP)
Program Officer
Steinmetz, Michael A
Project Start
2001-05-01
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2011-12-01
Budget End
2012-06-30
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$239,708
Indirect Cost
$79,368
Name
Virginia Commonwealth University
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
105300446
City
Richmond
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
23298
Tschetter, Wayne W; Govindaiah, Gubbi; Etherington, Ian M et al. (2018) Refinement of Spatial Receptive Fields in the Developing Mouse Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Is Coordinated with Excitatory and Inhibitory Remodeling. J Neurosci 38:4531-4542
Kerschensteiner, Daniel; Guido, William (2017) Visual thalamus, ""it's complicated"". Vis Neurosci 34:E018
Kerschensteiner, Daniel; Guido, William (2017) Organization of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the mouse. Vis Neurosci 34:E008
Goldberg, Jeffrey L; Guido, William; Agi Workshop Participants (2016) Report on the National Eye Institute Audacious Goals Initiative: Regenerating the Optic Nerve. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 57:1271-5
Bickford, Martha E; Zhou, Na; Krahe, Thomas E et al. (2015) Retinal and Tectal ""Driver-Like"" Inputs Converge in the Shell of the Mouse Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus. J Neurosci 35:10523-34
Dilger, Emily K; Krahe, Thomas E; Morhardt, Duncan R et al. (2015) Absence of plateau potentials in dLGN cells leads to a breakdown in retinogeniculate refinement. J Neurosci 35:3652-62
El-Danaf, Rana N; Krahe, Thomas E; Dilger, Emily K et al. (2015) Developmental remodeling of relay cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the absence of retinal input. Neural Dev 10:19
Hammer, Sarah; Carrillo, Gabriela L; Govindaiah, Gubbi et al. (2014) Nuclei-specific differences in nerve terminal distribution, morphology, and development in mouse visual thalamus. Neural Dev 9:16
Brooks, Justin M; Su, Jianmin; Levy, Carl et al. (2013) A molecular mechanism regulating the timing of corticogeniculate innervation. Cell Rep 5:573-81
Chen, Shih-Kuo; Chew, Kylie S; McNeill, David S et al. (2013) Apoptosis regulates ipRGC spacing necessary for rods and cones to drive circadian photoentrainment. Neuron 77:503-15

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