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J Physiol Volume 562, Number 3, 915-923, February 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.076695
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Identification of ON–OFF direction-selective ganglion cells in the mouse retina

Shijun Weng1, Wenzhi Sun1 and Shigang He1

1 Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China

We identified the ON–OFF direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) in the mouse retina and characterized their physiological, morphological and pharmacological properties. These cells showed transient responses to the onset and termination of a stationary flashing spot, and strong directional selectivity to a moving rectangle. Application of various pharmacological reagents demonstrated that the ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina utilize a similar array of transmitters and receptors to compute motion direction to their counterparts in the rabbit retina. Voltage clamp recording showed that ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina receive a larger inhibitory input when the stimulus is moving in the null direction and a larger excitatory input when the stimulus is moving in the preferred direction. Finally, intracellular infusion of neurobiotin revealed a bistratified dendritic field with recursive dendrites forming loop-like structures, previously classified as RGD2 by morphology. Overall, the ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina exhibit almost identical properties to their counterparts in the rabbit retina, indicating that the mechanisms for computing motion direction are conserved from mouse to rabbit, and probably also to higher mammals. This first detailed characterization of ON–OFF DSGCs in the mouse retina provides fundamental information for further study of maturation and regulation of the neuronal circuitry underlying computation of direction.

(Received 3 October 2004; accepted after revision 23 November 2004; first published online 25 November 2004)
Corresponding author S. He: Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China. Email: s.he{at}ion.ac.cn




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W. Sun, Q. Deng, W. R. Levick, and S. He
ON direction-selective ganglion cells in the mouse retina
J. Physiol., October 1, 2006; 576(1): 197 - 202.
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