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Axonal conduction velocities of functionally characterized retinal ganglion cells in goldfish
Author(s) -
Northmore D. P. M.,
Oh D.J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7793.1998.207bx.x
Subject(s) - receptive field , ganglion , bistratified cell , retina , parasol cell , giant retinal ganglion cells , anatomy , chemistry , retinal , retinal ganglion cell , biophysics , biology , neuroscience , biochemistry
1 Visual response properties and conduction velocities of retinal ganglion cells were studied by extracellular recordings in the intact goldfish eye. Visually responsive single units were confirmed as ganglion cells by collision testing, and their receptive fields were mapped. 2 From compound action potentials, we identified groups I‐V in the optic nerve, with overall conduction velocities of 11.5 ± 1.17, 7.1 ± 0.79, 4.4 ± 0.56, 3.1 ± 0.31 and 2.3 ± 0.18 m s −1 (mean ± s.d.) at 23 °C. 3 Ganglion cells were classified by their receptive fields as off‐, on‐off‐ or on‐centre. Nearly all confirmed ganglion cells had axonal conduction velocities in groups II, III and IV; none fell in the fastest group, I. 4 Off‐centre ganglion cells had conduction velocities only in the fast group, II. On‐off‐centre cells fell mainly in group III, with some in group II. On‐centre cells fell in groups II‐V, but mainly in groups III and IV. 5 Receptive field centre diameters were 5‐30 deg measured with a photopic background. The mean diameters for off‐, on‐off‐ and on‐centres were 24, 15 and 18 deg, respectively. The relatively larger diameter and higher rate of spontaneous firing of the off‐centre cells were maintained under different adaptation conditions. 6 The off‐centre cells can be identified with an anatomical class of large, α‐like ganglion cells in the goldfish retina.