Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T09:00:19.280Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Melanopsin (Opn4) positive cells in the cat retina are randomly distributed across the ganglion cell layer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2005

MA'AYAN SEMO ,
MARTA MUÑOZ LLAMOSAS ,
RUSSELL G. FOSTER  and
GLEN JEFFERY
MA'AYAN SEMO
Affiliation:
Department of Integrative and Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
MARTA MUÑOZ LLAMOSAS
Affiliation:
Department of Integrative and Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
RUSSELL G. FOSTER
Affiliation:
Department of Integrative and Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK
GLEN JEFFERY
Affiliation:
University College London, Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A rare type of rodent retinal ganglion cell expresses melanopsin (Opn4), the majority of which project to the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Many of these cells are directly light sensitive and appear to regulate the circadian system in the absence of rod and cone photoreceptors. However, the rodent retina contains no overt regions of specialization, and the different ganglion cell types are hard to distinguish. Consequently, attempts to distinguish the distribution of melanopsin ganglion cells in relation to regions of retinal specialization or subtype have proved problematic. Retinal cells with a common function tend to be regularly distributed. In this study, we isolate cat melanopsin and label melanopsin expressing cells using in situ hybridization. The labelled cells were all confined to the ganglion cell layer, their density was low, and their distribution was random. Melanopsin containing cells showed no clear center-to-periphery gradient in their distribution and were comprised of a relatively uniform cellular population.

Keywords

Ganglion cellPhotoreceptorCircadianSuprachiasmatic nucleus
Type
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 111 - 116
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bellingham, J. & Foster, R.G. (2002). Opsins and mammalian photoentrainment. Cell and Tissue Research 309, 57–71.Google Scholar
Berson, D.M., Dunn, F.A., & Takao, M. (2002). Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock. Science 295, 1070–1073.Google Scholar
Clarke, R.J. & Ikeda, H. (1985). Luminance detectors in the olivary pretectal nucleus and their relationship to the pupillary light reflex in the rat. II. Studies using sinusoidal light. Experimental Brain Research 59, 83–90.Google Scholar
Cook, J.E. (1996). Spatial properties of retinal mosaics: An empirical evaluation of some existing measures. Visual Neuroscience 13, 15–30.Google Scholar
Freedman, M.S., Lucas, R.J., Soni, B., von Schantz, M., Munoz, M., David-Gray, Z., & Foster, R. (1999). Regulation of mammalian circadian behavior by non-rod, non-cone, ocular photoreceptors. Science 284, 502–504.Google Scholar
Gooley, J.J., Lu, J., Fischer, D., & Saper, C.B. (2003). A broad role for melanopsin in nonvisual photoreception. Journal of Neuroscience 23, 7093–7106.Google Scholar
Harrington, M.E. (1997). The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and the intergeniculate leaflet: Interrelated structures in the visual and circadian systems. Neuroscience and Biobehavior Reviews 21, 705–727.Google Scholar
Hattar, S., Liao, H.W., Takao, M., Berson, D.M., & Yau, K.W. (2002). Melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells: Architecture, projections, and intrinsic photosensitivity. Science 295, 1065–1070.Google Scholar
Hattar, S., Lucas, R.J., Mrosovsky, N., Thompson, S., Douglas, R.H., Hankins, M.W., Lem, J., Biel, M., Hofmann, F., Foster, R.G., & Yau, K.W. (2003). Melanopsin and rod–cone photoreceptive systems account for all major accessory visual functions in mice. Nature 424, 75–81.Google Scholar
Hughes, A. (1977). The topography of vision in mammals of contrasting life style: Comparative optics and retinal organization. In Handbook of Sensory Physiology, Vol.VII/5, ed. Crescitelli, F., pp. 613–756. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag.
Kramer, A., Yang, F.C., Snodgrass, P., Li, X., Scammell, T.E., Davis, F.C., & Weitz, C.J. (2001). Regulation of daily locomotor activity and sleep by hypothalamic EGF receptor signaling. Science 294, 2511–2515.Google Scholar
Lu, J., Shiromani, P., & Saper, C.B. (1999). Retinal input to the sleep-active ventrolateral preoptic nucleus in the rat. Neuroscience 93, 209–214.Google Scholar
Lucas, R.J., Douglas, R.H., & Foster, R.G. (2001). Characterization of an ocular photopigment capable of driving pupillary constriction in mice. Nature Neuroscience 4, 621–626.Google Scholar
Lucas, R.J., Freedman, M.S., Munoz, M., Garcia-Fernandez, J.M., & Foster, R.G. (1999). Regulation of the mammalian pineal by non-rod, non-cone, ocular photoreceptors. Science 284, 505–507.Google Scholar
Murakami, D.M., Miller, J.D., & Fuller, C.A. (1989). The retinohypothalamic tract in the cat: Retinal ganglion cell morphology and pattern of projection. Brain Research 482, 283–296.Google Scholar
Ng, A.Y. & Stone, J. (1982). The optic nerve of the cat: Appearance and loss of axons during normal development. Brain Research 281, 263–271.Google Scholar
Panda, S., Sato, T.K., Castrucci, A.M., Rollag, M.D., DeGrip, W.J., Hogenesch, J.B., Provencio, I., & Kay, S.A. (2002). Melanopsin (Opn4) requirement for normal light-induced circadian phase shifting. Science 298, 2213–2216.Google Scholar
Peterson, B.B., Liao, H., Dacey, D.M., Yau, K.W., Gamlin, P.D., Robinson, F.R., & Marshak, D.W. (2003). Functional architecture of the photoreceptive ganglion cell in primate retina: Morphology mosaic organization and central targets of melanopsin immunostained cells. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 44, 5182.Google Scholar
Pu, M. (1999). Dendritic morphology of cat retinal ganglion cells projecting to suprachiasmatic nucleus. Journal of Comparative Neurology 414, 267–274.Google Scholar
Raven, M.A., Eglen, S.J., Ohab, J.J., & Reese, B.E. (2003). Determinants of the exclusion zone in dopaminergic amacrine cell mosaics. Journal of Comparative Neurology 461, 123–136.Google Scholar
Ruby, N.F., Brennan, T.J., Xie, X., Cao, V., Franken P, Heller H.C., & O'Hara, B.F. (2002). Role of melanopsin in circadian responses to light. Science 298, 2211–2213.Google Scholar
Smith, V.C., Pokorny, J., Gamlin, P.D., Packer, O.S., Peterson, B.B., & Dacey, D.M. (2003). Functional architecture of the photoreceptive ganglion cell in primate retina: Spectral sensitivity and dynamics of the intrinsic response. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 44, 5158.Google Scholar
Trejo, L.J. & Cicerone, C.M. (1984). Cells in the pretectal olivary nucleus are in the pathway for the direct light reflex of the pupil in the rat. Brain Research 300, 49–62.Google Scholar
Wässle, H. (1982). Morphological types and central projections of ganglion cells in the cat retina. In Progress in Retinal Research, Vol.1, ed. Osborne, N.N., pp. 125–152 Oxford, England: Pergamon.
Wässle, H. & Boycott, B.B. (1991). Functional architecture of the mammalian retina. Physiological Reviews 71, 447–480.Google Scholar
Wässle, H., Peichl, L., & Boycott, B.B. (1981). Morphology and topography of on- and off-alpha cells in the cat retina. Proceedings of the Royal Society B (London) 212, 157–175.Google Scholar
Wässle, H. & Riemann, H.J. (1978). The mosaic of nerve cells in the mammalian retina. Proceedings of the Royal Society B (London) 200, 441–461.Google Scholar