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T Reuter

Publications and source records attributed to T Reuter.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Retinal ganglion cells in the crucian carp (Carassius carassius). I. Size and number of somata in eyes of different size.

Ganglion cell somata were drawn, measured and counted in flat-mounted crucian carp and goldfish retinas stained with cresyl violet or methylene blue. Some diameter histograms suggest that the ganglion cells can be divided into two populations with overlapping soma sizes: a large group of small cells and a small group of large cells, the latter constituting 2.5-5% of all ganglion cells. With increasing distance from the optic disc the mean soma diameter increases while the ganglion cell density decreases. In a peripheral growth zone close to the margin the ganglion cells become smaller again. The total number of ganglion cells in retinas of different size was calculated from the areas of the flat-mounted preparations and the cell densities in two representative regions. In the crucian carp population used in this work the total number of ganglion cells per retina was found to increase from roughly 140,000 (mean of 8 scattered value) to a full 200,000 between eye diameters 4 and 10 mm, this increase taking place mainly between eye diameters of 4 and 6.5 mm. Thus, due to a drastically decreasing cell density, the total number of ganglion cells increases only by a factor of about 1.5 while the retinal area becomes sixfold. During the same growth period the mean soma diameter increases by a factor of about 1.3 and the soma volume more than doubles. The optic nerve of a small crunated and myelinated axons were found. The axons in the optic nerve are, on an average, considerably thicker than the axons on the retinal surface.

Animals↗

Retinal ganglion cells in the crucian carp (Carassius carassius). II. Overlap, shape and tangential orientation of dendritic trees.

Ganglion cells were studied in methylene blue stained flat-mounted retinas. Three categories of cells are described: small (S) and large (L) ganglion cells in the main ganglion cell layer, and large ganglion cells (LD) with somata more or less displaced into the inner plexiform layer. These LD cells have two to four very thick primary dendrites and are identifiable as ganglion cells by their axons. An analysis of published data reveals that the large ganglion cells of the crucian carp (type L and LD) have several striking characteristics in common with the large ganglion cells of the dogfish, the frog and the cat: (1) they are selectively stained by methylene blue; (2) they comprise only 2-5% of all the ganglion cells; (3) the large cells can be divided into two or three subtypes, and within each subtype the dendritic trees usually cover the retinal surface with a two- or threefold overlap. New ganglion cells are formed from neuroblasts at the retinal margin and most dendrites first grow along this neuroblastic zone. Thus the main dendrites of the L and LD cells tend to be oriented parallel to the margin all around the periphery of a crucian carp retina. Independent of the size of the eye this parallel orientation disappears at the same relative distance from the margin (about one-third of the distance from the margin to the optic disc). If all L and LD cells are formed at the retinal margin and first develop oriented dendrites, we have to assume that the more randomly oriented dendritic trees in the central retina have undergone a reorganization.

Animals↗

Directional selectivity and colour coding in the frog retina.

The impulse discharge of ganglion cells was recorded with extracellular micro-electrodes in the excised and opened eye of the common frog, Rana temporaria. The responses of different ganglion cell types to a standard moving spot with various spot-background contrasts are described. Information about such stimulus parameters as the size and contrast as a moving object is given by different classes of ganglion cells with preferences for different stimulus features. Of 171 sustained cells with small receptive fields 29 were found directionally selective, i.e. they responded well to movements only in some directions. Experiments with double stimulus fields suggest that this selectivity is due to an amacrine cell-mediated lateral inhibition nonsymmetrically arranged around the centre of the receptive field. The dichromatic colour vision of the frog is based on partly opponent signals from yellow-sensitive cones and blue-sensitive green rods. These opponent inputs make the ganglion cells respond to blue spots moving against a yellow-green background, irrespective of the relative intensities of the two colours. When the green rods are stimulated with blue light the ganglion cells produce long "on"-responses with significantly lower impulse frequencies than the short cone-mediated responses.

Action Potentials↗

[Studies on the local motility and blood circulation of the heart muscle during and after long-term coronary strangulation].

In ten young pigs a severe prolonged and critical stenosis of a major coronary artery was produced under control of an electromagnetic flowmeter. With stepwise constriction flow could be reduced to 55% of control with only minor hemodynamic changes. Local myocardial segment shortening was depressed to approximately 30% of control values. Hypokinesis was partially reversible within the first 135 min after reperfusion and had disappeared 24 h later. Computerized perfusion scintigraphy with radioactive microspheres gives a reliable approximation of the degree of myocardial blood flow reduction.

Animals↗

Receptive field organization of ganglion cells in the frog retina: contributions from cones, green rods and red rods.

1. The impulse discharge of ganglion cells was recorded with extracellular micro-electrodes in the excised and opened eye of the common frog, Rana temporaria. 2. When a single unit was isolated, the cell type was first determined according to the Maturana, Lettvin, McCulloch & Pitts (1960) classification with the aid of varying moving and stationary stimuli. 3. Class 4 cells respond only to a decrease of light when cones are stimulated but respond to an increase of light when green rods are stimulated. A distinct class of deviating class 4 cells was found that give a brief high frequency burst at 'off' from their small excitatory receptive fields (ERF); unlike typical class 4 cells they possess a purely inhibitory surrounding field (IRF).4. The contributions from the cones and the green and red rods were isolated by measuring the thresholds of the discharges with on-off stimuli of varying wave-lengths against strong yellow backgrounds, or against a very weak background or no background at all. The spatial distribution of the contributions to the ERF was determined by mapping threshold profiles, and additional information about ERF and IRF was obtained from area-threshold curves. 5. The cone-mediated ERFs were found to be 0-06-0-50 mm wide (1-5-12 degrees of visual field), which agrees well with the sizes of the dendritic trees of the ganglion cells. The green rod-mediated ERFs can be 0-5-1-5 mm wide and have less distinct boundaries than the cone-mediated. The green rod-mediated ERF of an individual ganglion cell is always larger than the cone-mediated ERF of the same cell. The red rod-mediated ERFs seem to be somewhat larger than the cone-mediated but smaller than the green rod-mediated. 6. The green rods contribute only to the on thresholds of class 1, 2 and 4 cells, but both to on and off in typical class 3 cells, while the cones contribute to on and off in classes 1-3 and only to off in class 4.7. When the red rods begin to contribute during dark adaptation they seem to enter the cone but not the green rod channels. 8. All three receptor types contribute to the IRF surrounding the ERF of classes 1, 2, 3 and deviating class 4 cells. Normal class 4 cells have no IRF. 9. The organization of the receptive fields is discussed in relation to the anatomy and electrophysiology of the cell types transmitting the signals from the receptors to the ganglion cells.

Action Potentials↗

Visual adaptation of the rhodopsin rods in the frogs retina.

1. The threshold of the discharge from single ganglion cells in the excised and opened frog's eye has been measured with on/off stimuli and test parameters that make it possible to activate the rhodopsin rods only. The test stimuli have been restricted to the central part of the receptive field, where no nervous reorganization can be observed with changes in the state of adaptation.2. When such thresholds and the intensities of the background lights are expressed in terms of the number of quanta absorbed per unit time, it is found that three factors can be correlated with the thresholds measured in various states of light- and dark-adaptation: (i) the intensity of a steady background, (ii) the rate of regeneration of rhodopsin, and (iii) the amount of metarhodopsin II present in the rods.3. The threshold is found to be proportional both to the intensity of a background and to the rate of regeneration, whereas there is a linear relationship between the logarithm of the threshold and the amount of metarhodopsin II.4. The presence of metarhodopsin elevates all thresholds, the absolute threshold, increment thresholds and the thresholds elevated by regenerating rhodopsin in the same way.5. The saturation of the rods at high background intensities is found to be correlated with the accumulation of significant amounts of metarhodopsin in the rods, caused by the bleaching effect of the background.6. The effect of metarhodopsin on the threshold is independent of the amount of rhodopsin present in the rods.7. The combined effect of all three factors can be expressed in a general formula, given as eqn. (7) on p. 74.8. A background not only reduces the signals from the rods illuminated, but also those from neighbouring unilluminated rods. This effect is rapidly decreased with increasing distance from rods covered by the background. This kind of lateral spread in the retina probably occurs also when the rate of regeneration affects the threshold. The effect of metarhodopsin, on the other hand, appears restricted to those receptors that contain this substance.

Adaptation, Ocular↗