The neuronal image of the visual scene that is processed by the retina is the result of a complex interplay between excitation and inhibition and is conducted to the brain by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) spike activity. In early life, this visual-evoked activity affects the synaptic integration and visual signal processing in lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex. Little is known about whether retinal neuronal connections and synaptic activities are also regulated by visual experience. One of the goals in this proposed study is to identify and quantify the synaptic inputs to RGCs and characterize the roles of development on the regulation of synaptic activity of these cells. Toward this end the spontaneous and light-evoked excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs of RGCs will be studied using patch electrode recording techniques from retinal slice preparation. The developmental profiles of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activities in mouse RGCs will be determined. In addition, the roles of interaction of excitatory and inhibitory neuron transmitters on the developmental regulation of RGC synaptic activity will be examined in wild type mice and two types of transgenic mice (GAD65-/- and mGluR6-/-). Another primary goal is to determine the roles of visual experience on the development of RGC synaptic activity and to understand the mechanisms of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity in the retina. The synaptic inputs of RGCs from light-deprived and normally reared mice will be studied. The time course, critical period and reversibility of light deprivation-induced effects of RGC synaptic activity will be characterized. The roles of interactions between visual experience and neurotransmitters on the developmental regulation of synaptic will also be determined by using the transgenic mice in which the release of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters is altered. The results of these studies have important implications in how we view pathologies that affect vision during infancy and childhood. They also provide insights to how neurotransmitter-related therapeutic drugs could affect normal development of the human visual system.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01EY012345-01
Application #
2734306
Study Section
Visual Sciences C Study Section (VISC)
Project Start
1999-02-01
Project End
2004-01-31
Budget Start
1999-02-01
Budget End
2000-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1999
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
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Tian, Ning; Xu, Hong-ping; Wang, Ping (2015) Dopamine D2 receptors preferentially regulate the development of light responses of the inner retina. Eur J Neurosci 41:17-30
Chen, Hui; Liu, Xiaorong; Tian, Ning (2014) Subtype-dependent postnatal development of direction- and orientation-selective retinal ganglion cells in mice. J Neurophysiol 112:2092-101
Xu, Hong-Ping; Sun, Jin Hao; Tian, Ning (2014) A general principle governs vision-dependent dendritic patterning of retinal ganglion cells. J Comp Neurol 522:3403-22
Križaj, David; Ryskamp, Daniel A; Tian, Ning et al. (2014) From mechanosensitivity to inflammatory responses: new players in the pathology of glaucoma. Curr Eye Res 39:105-19
Kang, Nak Heon; Kim, Soon Je; Song, Seung Han et al. (2013) Hydroxyapatite synthesis using EDTA. J Craniofac Surg 24:1042-5
He, Quanhua; Xu, Hong-Ping; Wang, Ping et al. (2013) Dopamine D1 receptors regulate the light dependent development of retinal synaptic responses. PLoS One 8:e79625
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Barabas, Peter; Huang, Wei; Chen, Hui et al. (2011) Missing optomotor head-turning reflex in the DBA/2J mouse. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 52:6766-73

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