Our primary research interest is to investigate how intracellular communication in the immature retina generates the appropriate activity patterns to build mature circuits. There are several examples throughout the developing vertebrate nervous system, including the retina, spinal cord and neocortex, where immature neural circuits spontaneously generate activity patterns that are distinct from the functioning adult circuitry. It has been proposed that these transitional circuits may provide the activity patterns necessary for normal development of adult neural systems. For instance, immature retinal neurons spontaneously generate correlated activity in the form of waves of action potentials that sweep across the retinal ganglion cell layer, providing a signal for organization of downstream visual centers, and perhaps the retina itself. The neural elements involved in the spontaneous generation of correlated activity consist of synaptically connected retinal ganglion cells and cholinergic interneurons. Using a combination of electrophysiology, imaging, immunohistochemistry, and modeling, I am exploring how the biophysical properties of synaptic transmission affect neuronal firing patterns throughout retinal development. These experiments will lead to a richer understanding of the specific function and organization of developing neuronal networks.
