Controlling the Gain of Rod-Mediated Signals in the Mammalian Retina

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5148-05.2006
• Publication Date: 2006-04-12T16:52:49Z
• Authors: Felice A. Dunn; Thuy Doan; Alapakkam P. Sampath; Fred Rieke
• Keywords: Visual phototransduction; Melanopsin

Effective sensory processing requires matching the gain of neural responses to range signals encountered. For rod vision, controls operate at light levels which photons arrive rarely individual rods, too low cause adaptation in phototransduction. Under these conditions, within a conserved pathway mammalian retina maintains sensitivity as change. To relate retinal behavioral work on detection levels, we measured how background affects and noise primate ganglion cells. determine where is controlled, tracked rod-mediated across mouse retina. These experiments led three main conclusions: (1) primary site synapse between bipolar AII amacrine cells; (2) cellular after control nearly independent intensity; (3) backgrounds, circuitry, rather than or fluctuations arriving photons, limits cell sensitivity. This provides physiological insights into rich history characterizing vision avoids saturation increase.