Foundations

  1. Introduction
  2. Gross Anatomy of the Eye
  3. Simple Anatomy of the Retina
  4. How the Retina Works. (7.5 MB pdf file) by Helga Kolb
Anatomy and Physiology of the retina

  1. Photoreceptors
  2. Outer plexiform layer
  3. S-Potentials and Horizontal cells. by Ido Perlman, Helga Kolb and Ralph Nelson
  4. Inner plexiform layer
  5. Morphology and Circuitry of Ganglion cells
  6. Visual Responses of Ganglion cells. By Ralph Nelson
Retinal circuits

  1. Circuitry for Rod Signals
  2. Cone pathways through the retina
  3. Roles of Amacrine Cells
  4. AII Amacrine Cells. By Mahnoosh Farsaii and Victoria P. Connaughton.
  5. Midget Pathways of the primate retina underly resolution
  6. S-cone pathways
  7. Feedback Loops
Neuroactive Substances in the Retina

  1. General characteristics
  2. The neurotransmitter of neurons of the vertical pathways through the retina is glutamate
  3. Gamma aminobutyric acid
  4. Glycine
  5. Dopamine is present in amacrine cells in the mammalian retina
  6. Acetylcholine
  7. Serotonin
  8. Adenosine may be a retinal neurotransmitter
  9. Substance P occurs in an amacrine type and a ganglion cell type
  10. Other neuropeptides
  11. NADPH-diaphorase staining and the possibility that there are nitric oxide containing neurons in the retina
  12. Amacrine cell populations and mosaics arrangements are revealed by neurotransmitter immunocytochemistry
  13. References

Glutamate and glutamate receptors in the vertebrate retina. by Vikki P. Connaughton

  1. General overview
  2. Histological techniques
  3. Glutamate receptors
  4. Ionotropic glutamate receptors
  5. Metabotropic glutamate receptors
  6. Glutamate transporters and transporter-like receptors
  7. Localization of glutamate receptors types in the retina
  8. Retinal neurons expressing ionotropic glutamate receptors
  9. Retinal neurons expressing metabotropic glutamate receptors
  10. Retinal neurons expressing glutamate transporters
  11. Summary and conclusions
  12. References

Bipolar cell pathways in the vertebrate retina. by Ralph Nelson and Vikki P. Connaughton

  1. Introduction
  2. Different glutamate receptor types
  3. ON and OFF stratification
  4. Electrical properties
  5. Behavioral and clinical implications
  6. Visual processing under pharmacological blockade
  7. Summary and conclusions
  8. References

Development of cell types and synaptic connections in the retina. by Josh Morgan and Rachel Wong.

  1. Introduction
  2. Sequence of circuit assembly in the vertebrate retina
  3. Structural assembly
  4. Development of pre- and postsynaptic processes
  5. Functional assembly
  6. Development of synaptic connectivity
  7. Spontaneous activity
  8. Light responses
  9. Summary

Formation of Early Retinal Circuits in the Inner Plexiform Layer. by Marla Feller

  1. Introduction
  2. Neurotransmitters and Early Retinal Development
  3. Spontaneously Active Synaptic Circuits
  4. Retinal Waves
  5. Chemical Synaptic Transmission
  6. Gap Junctions
  7. Role of Activity in Formation of ON and OFF Circuitry
  8. References

Color Vision. by Peter Gouras Regeneration in the Goldfish Visual System. by Sam Nona

  1. Overview
  2. General features of the goldfish visual system
  3. Astrocytes in the retina
  4. Astrocytes in the optic nerve
  5. Astrocytes in the brain
  6. Axon regeneration in injured goldfish optic nerve
  7. Glial environment of axons in mammalian CNS
  8. Glial environment of axons in mammalian PNS
  9. Glial environment of axons in goldfish optic nerve
  10. The optic nerve as a model for axon regeneration studies
  11. Events that follow a crush to goldfish optic nerve
  12. Fish optic nerve vs rat optic nerve
  13. Regeneration in goldfish optic nerve distal to lesion
  14. Myelination of regenerating goldfish optic nerve axons in the lesion by Schwann cells
  15. Source of Schwann cells in regenerating goldfish optic nerve
  16. Thoughts on delayed remyelination in goldfish optic nerve
  17. Conclusions
  18. References
Regeneration in the visual system of adult mammals. by Yves Sauve and Frederic Gaillard

  1. Introduction
  2. Reconstruction of Primary Visual Pathways
  3. Requirements for recovery of function following lesions of CNS pathways
  4. Promoting the survival of axotomized RGCs
  5. Promoting the growth of axotomized RGC axons
  6. Guidance of regenerating RGC axons towards their appropriate target
  7. Arborization and synapse formation by RGC axons regenerating into their CNS targets
  8. Generation of action potentials in target neurons
  9. Restoration of retinotopy
  10. Preservation of local and downstream circuitry
  11. Evidence for some level of recovery of function in the PN-bridged retinofugal pathways
  12. Visual Function Assessment
  13. References
Fetal tissue allografts in the central visual system of rodents. by Frederic Gaillard and Yves Sauve

  1. Introduction
  2. The visual system of rodents: a brief overview
  3. Standard strategy for intracerebral transplantation: Graft morphology
  4. Neurons within the transplant can be driven by host eye visual stimulation
  5. Do grafts receive extensive afferents?
  6. Can grafts send afferents to host targets?
  7. Restoration of visual behavior
  8. References
The Electroretinogram: ERG. by Ido Perlman

  1. Historical view
  2. The electrical basis of ERG recordings
  3. The origin of the major ERG waves
  4. Additional minor components of the ERG
  5. Summary of the ERG components
  6. Factors affecting the ERG
  7. Analysis of the ERG
  8. References
Clinical Electrophysiology. by Donnell Creel

  1. Introduction
  2. The electroretinogram ERG
  3. ERG recording electrodes
  4. Light stimulation for ERGs
  5. ERG recording methods
  6. Oscillatory potentials OPs
  7. ERGs in retinitis pigmentosa-like diseases
  8. The ERG in cone dystrophies
  9. ERGS in retinal vascular disease
  10. Foreign bodies and trauma
  11. Drug toxicities
  12. Systemic disorders and the ERG
  13. The multifocal ERG mfERG
  14. The electrooculogram EOG
  15. References

Cellular Remodeling in Mammalian Retina Induced by Retinal Detachment. by Steven K. Fisher, Geoffrey P. Lewis, Kenneth A. Linberg, Edward Barawid, and Mark R. Verardo

  1. Introduction
  2. Levels of Remodeling
  3. The Details of Cellular Remodeling after Detachment and Reattachment
  4. Protein expression in cone photoreceptors after detachment: analyzing the surviving cone photoreceptor array
  5. Remodeling of photoreceptors after reattachment
  6. Remodeling of second and third order neurons
  7. Remodeling of Ganglion Cells
  8. Glial cell Remodeling
  9. Retinal Remodeling after Detachment and Reattachment: an overview
  10. Future challenges
  11. References


    Age-Related Macular Degeneration. by Gregory S. Hageman, Karen Gehrs, Lincoln V. Johnson and Don Anderson

    1. Introduction
    2. Clinical Aspects of AMD
    3. Pathology of AMD
    4. Physiology of Early AMD
    5. Inflammation and AMD
    6. The Complement System and AMD
    7. Molecular Genetics of AMD
    8. Therapy for AMD
    9. Conclusion
    10. References


      Facts and figures concerning the Human Retina.

    11. Facts and figures concerning the human retina

      Updated: February, 2008

      Please send any questions or comments to: helga.kolb@hsc.utah.edu
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