Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monocular deprivation affects X- and Y-cell retinogeniculate terminations in cats

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The X- and Y-cell pathways in cats form two functionally distinct, parallel systems from the retina through the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) to the visual cortex1–4. We recently used the technique of intraaxonal injection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to demonstrate major differences between X- and Y-cells in their retinogeniculate termination patterns5 (compare Figs 1a and 2a). Normally, axons of X-cells innervate geniculate lamina A or A1 (depending on the eye of origin) in narrow zones oriented perpendicular to the lamination. Some X-cells also terminate sparsely (that is, with few boutons) in the medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN), a subdivision of the LGN. Y-cell axons terminate either in laminae C and A (from the contralateral retina) or in lamina A1 (from the ipsilateral retina) in broad zones5,6, and most also terminate densely (with many boutons) in the MIN. We now report that cats raised with monocular lid suture develop abnormal retinogeniculate termination patterns. Many X-cell axons arising from the deprived eye have unusually broad terminal fields in lamina A or A1, and some also densely innervate the MIN. Many Y-cell axons from the deprived eye have dramatically shrunken or absent terminal fields in the A laminae and MIN. These changes constitute the most peripheral effects of monocular deprivation discovered so far, are consistent with previous reports of functional abnormalities among deprived geniculate neurones4,7,8 and suggest possible mechanisms by which the visual environment influences neuronal development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rodieck, R. W. A. Rev. Neurosci. 2, 193–225 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stone, J., Dreher, B. & Leventhal, A. Brain Res. Rev. 1, 345–394 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Lennie, P. Vision Res. 20, 561–594 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sherman, S. M. & Spear, P. D. Physiol. Rev. 62, 738–855 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Sur, M. & Sherman, S. M. Science 218, 389–391 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bowling, D. B. & Michael, C. R. Nature 286, 899–902 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sherman, S. M., Hoffman, K.-P. & Stone, J. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 532–541 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Friedlander, M. J., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurosci. 2, 321–330 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Friedlander, M. J., Lin, C.-S., Stanford, L. R. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 46, 80–129 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hoffmann, K.-P., Stone, J. & Sherman, S. M. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 518–531 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hochstein, S. & Shapley, R. M. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 237–264 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Adams, J. C. Neuroscience 2, 141–145 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. deOlmos, J. S. Expl Brain Res. 29, 541–551 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Boycott, B. B. & Wassle, H. J. Physiol., Lond. 240, 397–419 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wassle, H., Peichl, L. & Boycott, B. B. Proc. R. Soc. B212, 157–175 (1981).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Wassle, H., Boycott, B. B. & Illing, R.-B. Proc. R. Soc. B212, 177–195 (1981).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Winfield, D. A. & Powell, T. P. S. Proc. R. Soc. B210, 197–210, 211–234 (1980).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wilson, J. R., Friedlander, M. J. & Sherman, S. M. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 6, 583 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Daniels, J. D., Pettigrew, J. D. & Norman, J. L. J. Neurophysiol. 41, 1373–1393 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Torrealba, F., Guillery, R. W., Eysel, U., Policy, E. H. & Mason, C. A. J. Comp. Neurol. (in the press).

  21. Purves, D. & Lichtman, J. R. Science 210, 153–157 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rakic, P. Nature 261, 467–471 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ivy, G. O. & Killackey, H. P. J. Neurosci. 2, 735–743 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Sherman, S. M. in Changing Concepts of the Nervous System (eds Morrison, A. R. & Strick, P. L.) 337–359 (Academic, New York, 1982).

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, 11794, USA

    Mriganka Sur, Allen L. Humphrey & S. Murray Sherman

Authors
  1. Mriganka Sur
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Allen L. Humphrey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Murray Sherman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sur, M., Humphrey, A. & Sherman, S. Monocular deprivation affects X- and Y-cell retinogeniculate terminations in cats. Nature 300, 183–185 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/300183a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/300183a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation