Skip to main content

Receptive field mechanisms of sustained and transient retinal ganglion cells in the cat

Experimental Brain Research volume 23, pages 113–128 (1975)Cite this article

Summary

Receptive field organization of 135 sustained and 45 transient retinal ganglion cells was investigated in lightly pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cats. Stimuli were concentric annuli presented alone or simultaneously with a small spot centred on the receptive field, against photopic, mesopic or scotopic backgrounds.

The addition of the test spot led to reduction in diameter of the centre-surround boundary of receptive fields of sustained retinal ganglion cells (assessed with annuli), and a decrease in diameter of the annulus which was most effective on the surround. In transient cells there was only marginal reduction in diameter of the centre-surround boundary, measured with annuli, and little or no decrease in diameter of the most effective annulus.

Reducing background intensity from photopic to scotopic induced changes in response patterns and receptive field organization of sustained and transient retinal ganglion cells which were independent of stimulus intensity.

Against photopic backgrounds, large annuli evoked surround-type responses from the majority of transient ganglion cells and from all sustained cells. In the scotopic range, surround-type responses could still be evoked from sustained cells, whereas predominantly centre-type responses were obtained throughout the receptive fields of transient cells.

With transition from cone to rod vision, receptive field surrounds of sustained and transient cells became progressively less responsive than centres; in consequence the diameter of the centre-surround boundary increased. The initial, high frequency burst of impulses in discharges at annulus onset or offset became less evident and response latency increased substantially.

The results are consistent with a model in which the centre and surround receptive field mechanisms are spatially co-extensive in transient retinal ganglion cells, albeit of different shape, but only partially overlapping in sustained retinal ganglion cells. It is suggested that the surround mechanism in sustained cells is spatially more extensive than the centre mechanism but does not extend entirely through the centre of the field.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Barlow, H.B., Fitzhugh, R., Kuffler, S.W.: Change of organization in the receptive fields of the cat's retina during dark-adaptation. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 137, 338–354 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleland, B.G., Levick, W.R.: Brisk and sluggish concentrically organized ganglion cells in the cat's retina. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 240, 421–456 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Enroth-Cugell, C., Pinto, L.H.: Properties of the surround response mechanism of cat retinal ganglion cells and centre-surround interaction. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 220, 403–439 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Spectral properties of dark-adapted retinal ganglion cells in the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa, L.). J. Physiol. (Lond.) 195, 535–556 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Contrasts in spatial organization of receptive fields at geniculate and retinal levels: centre, surround and outer surround. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 228, 115–137 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Cat retinal ganglion cells: size and shape of receptive field centres. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 242, 99–118 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Sustained and transient ganglion cells in the cat's retina: spatial distribution of centre and surround receptive field mechanisms. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 244, 58–59 P (1975a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Visual field distributions of receptive fields of optic tract fibres compared with functionally and anatomically determined retinal distributions of ganglion cells in the cat. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 245, 112–114 P (1975b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P., James, C.R.: The Purkinje shift in cat: extent of the mesopic range. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 216, 99–109 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey, T.L., Winters, R.W., Pollack, J.G.: Centre-surround interactions in two types of oncentre retinal ganglion cells in the cat. Vision Res. 13, 1511–1526 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N.: Receptive fields of optic nerve fibres in the spider monkey. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 154, 572–580 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, Hisako, Wright, M.J.: Receptive field organization of ‘sustained’ and ‘transient’ ganglion cells which subserve different functional roles. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 227, 769–800 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuffler, S.W.: Discharge patterns and functional organization of mammalian retina. J. Neurophysiol. 16, 37–68 (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  • Michael, C.R.: Receptive fields of single optic nerve fibres in a mammal with an all-cone retina. III. Opponent colour units. J. Neurophysiol. 31, 268–282 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodieck, R.W., Stone, J.: Analysis of receptive fields of cat retinal ganglion cells. J. Neurophysiol. 28, 833–849 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spekreijse, H., Wagner, H.G., Wolbarsht, M.L.: Spectral and spatial coding of ganglion cell responses in goldfish retina. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 73–86 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, J., Fukuda, Y.: Properties of cat retinal ganglion cells: a comparison of W-cells with X- and Y-cells. J. Neurophysiol. 37, 722–748 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Winters, R.W., Hickey, T.L., Pollack, J.G.: Effect of variations of target location upon the peripheral responses of on-centre retinal ganglion cells in the cat. Vision Res. 13, 1487–1498 (1973a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Winters, R.W., Hickey, T.L., Skaer, D.H.: Spatial summation in the receptive field periphery of two types of on-centre neurones in cat retina. Vision Res. 13, 1499–1509 (1973b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolbarsht, M.L., Wagner, H.G., MacNichol, E.F., Jr.: Receptive fields of retinal ganglion cells: extent and spectral sensitivity. In: The Visual System: Neurophysiology and Psychophysics. (Eds. R. Jung and H. Kornhuber), pp. 170–175. Berlin-Göttingen-Heidelberg: Springer 1961

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, England

    P. Hammond

Authors
  1. P. Hammond
    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

Hammond, P. Receptive field mechanisms of sustained and transient retinal ganglion cells in the cat. Exp Brain Res 23, 113–128 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235454

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235454

Key words

  • Retinal receptive fields
  • Receptive field mechanisms
  • Vision