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Synaptic connections of rod bipolar cells in the inner plexiform layer of the rabbit retina
Author(s) -
Strettoi Enrica,
Dacheux Ramon F.,
Raviola Elio
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.902950309
Subject(s) - scotopic vision , inner plexiform layer , retina , neuroscience , bistratified cell , biology , synapse , amacrine cell , ganglion , intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells , anatomy , retinal ganglion cell
We have reconstructed from electron micrographs of a continuous series of thin sections the synaptic connections of the axonal arborizations of all the rod bipolar cells contained in a small region of the retina of the rabbit. We observed that all rod bipolars share the same pattern of connectivity and are probably functionally equivalent. As a rule, they do not contact ganglion cells. Their prevalent synaptic output is on narrow‐field, bistratified, and indoleamine‐accumulating amacrine cells. Their dominant inputs are the reciprocal synapses from the indoleamine‐accumulating amacrines, but they also receive a sizable number of synaptic contacts from other, non‐reciprocal, amacrine cells. The lateral spread of scotopic signals at the synapse between rod bipolars and narrow‐field, bistratified amacrines is small. Finally, in the rabbit, as in the cat, a narrow‐field, bistratified amacrine is inserted in series along the rod pathway.