Retinal Projections to the Accessory Optic System in Pigmented and Albino Ferrets (Mustela Putorius Furo)

Overview

Journal Exp Brain Res

Specialty Neurology

Date 2009 Jan 14

PMID 19139858

Citations 2

Authors

C Distler

H Korbmacher

K P Hoffmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We investigated if a reduced specificity of the retinal projection to the accessory optic system might be responsible for the loss of direction selectivity in the nucleus of the optic tract and dorsal terminal nucleus (NOT-DTN) and, in consequence of this, the optokinetic deficits in albino ferrets. Under electrophysiological control we performed dual tracer injections into the NOT-DTN and the medial terminal nucleus (MTN). Retrogradely labelled ganglion cells were found in the visual streak, the dorsal, and the ventral retina both after injections into the NOTDTN and the MTN indicating that both nuclei receive input from the same retinal regions. The distribution and spacing of labelled ganglion cells did not differ between pigmented and albino ferrets. However, retinal ganglion cells projecting simultaneously to both the NOT-DTN and the MTN occurred only in albino ferrets. These results suggest that a reduced specificity of the projection pattern of direction specific ganglion cells may contribute to the loss of direction selectivity in the NOT-DTN in albino ferrets.

Citing Articles

Impaired Direction Selectivity in the Nucleus of the Optic Tract of Albino Mice.

Montijn J, Riguccini V, Levelt C, Heimel J Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023; 64(11):9.

PMID: 37548962 PMC: 10411648. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.11.9.

Visual pathway for the optokinetic reflex in infant macaque monkeys.

Distler C, Hoffmann K J Neurosci. 2011; 31(48):17659-68.

PMID: 22131426 PMC: 6623826. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4302-11.2011.

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