Summary
Intracellular light-evoked potentials were measured from both visual cells and secondary neurons (monopolar neurons type I) in the eye of Calliphora at varying angles of light-incidence. From these measurements and from the characteristic curves we obtained a relationship between the effective light intensity and the angle of incidence of the light stimulus for both cell types. These curves must be identical for the two cell types in the absence of a lateral information processing as a theoretical reflection shows. From the experimental results that the curve (effective light intensity versus light angle of incidence) of the monopolar neurons was considerably narrower as that of the visual cells, it was concluded that a lateral inhibition in the first optic ganglion of the fly retina exists. Although the information coding in the secondary neurons of the fly retina was completely different (graded potentials) from that of corresponding neurons in the Limulus eye (spikes), it appeared that the same principles of information processing existed in both instances.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alawi, A. A., Pak, W. L.: On-transient of insect electroretinogram: Its cellular origin. Science 172, 1055–1057 (1971).
Autrum, H., Wiedemann, I.: Versuche über den Strahlengang im Insektenauge (Appositionsauge). Z. Naturforsch. 17b, 480–482 (1962).
Autrum, H., Zettler, F., Järvilehto, M.: Postsynaptic potentials from a single monopolar neuron of the ganglion opticum I of the blowfly Calliphora. Z. vergl. Physiol. 70, 414–424 (1970).
Baylor, D. A., Fuortes, M. G. F., O'Bryan, P. M.: Receptive fields of cones in the retina of the turtle. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 214, 265–295 (1971).
Boschek, C. B.: On the fine structure of the peripheral retina and lamina ganglionaris of the fly Musca domestica. Z. Zellfosch. 118, 369–409 (1971).
Braitenberg, V.: Patterns of projection in the visual system of the fly. I. Retinalamina-projections. Exp. Brain Res. 3, 271–298 (1967).
Cajal, S. R., Sánchez, D.: Contribućion al conocimiento de los oentros nerviosos de los inseotos. Trab. Lab. Invest. Biol. (Madrid) 13, 1–168 (1915).
Hartline, H. K., Wagner, H. G., Ratliff, F.: Inhibition in the eye of Limulus. J. gen. Physiol. 39, 651–673 (1956).
Ioannides, A. C., Walcott, B.: Graded illumination potentials from retinula cell axons in the bug Lethocerus. Z. vergl. Physiol. 71, 315–325 (1971).
Järvilehto, M.: Lokalisierte intrazelluläre Ableitungen aus den Axonen der 8. Sehzelle der Fliege Calliphora erythrocephala. Diss. Universität München, 1971.
Järvilehto, M., Zettler, F.: Micro-localisation of laminalocated visual cell activities in the compound eye of the blowfly Calliphora. Z. vergl. Physiol. 69, 134–138 (1970).
Järvilehto, M., Zettler, F.: Localized intracellular potentials from pre- and post- synaptic components in the external plexiform layer of an insect retina. Z. vergl. Physiol. 75, 422–440 (1971).
Kaneko, A.: Physiological and morphological identification of horizontal, bipolar and amacrine cells in goldfish retina. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 207, 623–633 (1970).
Kirschfeld, K.: Die Projektion der optischen Umwelt auf das Raster der Rhabdomere im Komplexauge von Musca. Exp. Brain Res. 3, 248–270 (1967).
Kuiper, J. W.: The optics of the compound eye. Symp. Soc. exp. Biol. 16, 58–71 (1962).
Mote, M. I.: Electrical correlates of neural superposition in the eye of the fly Sarcophaga bullata. J. exp. Zool. 175, 159–168 (1970).
Scholes, J.: The electrical responses of the retinal receptors and the lamina in the visual system of the fly Musca. Kybernetik 6, 149–162 (1969).
Strausfeld, N. J.: Golgi studies on insects. Part II. The optic lobes of Diptera. Phil. Trans. B 258, 135–223 (1970).
Strausfeld, N. J.: Organization of the insect visual system (light microscopy). I. Projections and arrangements of neurons in the lamina ganglionaris of Diptera. Z. Zellforsch. 121, 377–441 (1971).
Strausfeld, N. J., Braitenberg, V.: The compound eye of the fly (Musca domestica): Connections between the cartridges of the lamina ganglionaris. Z. vergl. Physiol. 70, 95–104 (1970).
Trujillo-Cenóz, O.: Some aspects of the structural organization of the intermediate retina of Dipterans. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 13, 1–33 (1965).
Trujillo-Cenóz, O., Melamed, J.: On the fine structure of the photoreceptor second optical neuron synapse in the insect retina. Z. Zellforsch. 59, 71–77 (1963).
Trujillo-Cenóz, O., Melamed, J.: Compound eye of Dipterans: Anatomical basis for integration — an electron microscope study. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 16, 395–398 (1966).
Vowles, D.: The receptive fields of cells in the retina of the housefly Musca domestica. Proc. roy. Soc. B 164, 552–576 (1966).
Washizu, Y., Burkhardt, D., Streck, P.: Visual field of single retinula cells and interommatidial inclination in the compound eye of the blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala. Z. vergl. Physiol. 48, 413–428 (1964).
Werblin, F. S., Dowling, J. E.: Organization of the retina of the mudpuppy, Necturus maculosus. II. Intracellular recording. J. Neurophysiol. 32, 339–355 (1969).
Zettler, F., Järvilehto, M.: Histologische Lokalisation der Ableitelektrode. Belichtungspotentiale aus Retina und Lamina bei Calliphora. Z. vergl. Physiol. 68, 202–210 (1970).
Zettler, F., Järvilehto, M.: Decrementfree conduction of graded potentials along the axon of a monopolar neuron. Z. vergl. Physiol. 75, 402–421 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is dedicated to Professor H. Autrum on his 65th birthday.
Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. We wish to thank Dr. R. E. Baker for translating the German manuscript into English.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zettler, F., Järvilehto, M. Lateral inhibition in an insect eye. Z. Vergl. Physiol. 76, 233–244 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303230
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303230