Though it has been known that color vision is mediated by three types of photoreceptors for some 200 years, there is little information about how the spacing and packing geometry of the short (S), middle (M), and long (L) wavelength sensitive cones. The spatial organization of the S cones is the best known, while almost nothing is known about M and L cone distribution. Even the ratio of L to M cones has proven elusive. The goal of this proposal is to determine the spacing and packing geometry of these three interleaved cone submosaics in the primate retina. In order to resolve individual photoreceptors using the light returned following a double pass through foveal cones: 1) A patch of retina will be removed from the eye and maintained in vitro. 2) Water immersion optics will be used to image the photoreceptor mosaic on a high resolution, high sensitivity CCD camera. The camera takes advantage of recent advances in low light imaging borrowed from astronomy. By comparing the amount of light reflected from the retina at three wavelengths chosen to produce the highest contrast between the cone types, first with the photopigment unbleached and then again following bleaching, the type of photopigment contained by each cone will be determined. The resulting maps showing the organization of the three types of photoreceptors across the retina will make it possible to 1) study how trichromacy is incorporated into the retina with minimal cost for spatial vision, 2) explore the contributions of the three cone types to the post- receptoral channels that are known from psychophysical experiments, 3) determine the chromatic organization of retinal receptive fields as a first step towards understanding the retinal circuitry that implements chromatic opponency, and 4) determine whether there are mechanisms responsible for forming regular patterns of cones during development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01EY009625-01
Application #
3267005
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1992-05-01
Project End
1995-04-30
Budget Start
1992-05-01
Budget End
1993-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Rochester
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
208469486
City
Rochester
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14627
Liao, Hsi-Wen; Ren, Xiaozhi; Peterson, Beth B et al. (2016) Melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells on macaque and human retinas form two morphologically distinct populations. J Comp Neurol 524:2845-72
Dacey, Dennis M; Crook, Joanna D; Packer, Orin S (2014) Distinct synaptic mechanisms create parallel S-ON and S-OFF color opponent pathways in the primate retina. Vis Neurosci 31:139-51
Joo, Hannah R; Peterson, Beth B; Dacey, Dennis M et al. (2013) Recurrent axon collaterals of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Vis Neurosci 30:175-82
Schmidt, Tiffany M; Do, Michael Tri H; Dacey, Dennis et al. (2011) Melanopsin-positive intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells: from form to function. J Neurosci 31:16094-101
Smith, Vivianne C; Pokorny, Joel; Lee, Barry B et al. (2008) Sequential processing in vision: The interaction of sensitivity regulation and temporal dynamics. Vision Res 48:2649-56
Gamlin, Paul D R; McDougal, David H; Pokorny, Joel et al. (2007) Human and macaque pupil responses driven by melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells. Vision Res 47:946-54
Packer, Orin S; Dacey, Dennis M (2005) Synergistic center-surround receptive field model of monkey H1 horizontal cells. J Vis 5:1038-54
McMahon, Matthew J; Packer, Orin S; Dacey, Dennis M (2004) The classical receptive field surround of primate parasol ganglion cells is mediated primarily by a non-GABAergic pathway. J Neurosci 24:3736-45
Diller, Lisa; Packer, Orin S; Verweij, Jan et al. (2004) L and M cone contributions to the midget and parasol ganglion cell receptive fields of macaque monkey retina. J Neurosci 24:1079-88
Dacey, Dennis M; Packer, Orin S (2003) Colour coding in the primate retina: diverse cell types and cone-specific circuitry. Curr Opin Neurobiol 13:421-7

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