Phototransduction & Visual System Physiology Flashcards
Rod-mediated vision is called _______ vision and cone-mediated vision is called _______ vision.
Scotopic
Photopic
This type of vision occurs when both rods and cones are activated by the light-levels of the environment.
Mesopic
T/F. People who lose rod-vision are legally blind.
False. People who lose cone-vision are legally blind. People who lose rod-vision experience night-blindness.
(CONES/RODS) can respond to a single photon. (CONES/RODS) need about 100 photons to respond.
Rods
Cones
Many rods converge into a single ________ cell. Many of these cells contact a single amacrine cell. This allows for the highest levels of sensitivity but sacrifices resolution.
Bipolar
One cone directly contacts only one _______ cell. This arrangement allows for the best resolution but sacrifices sensitivity.
Bipolar
Photoreceptor sensory transduction system is unique in that stimuli (light – photons) cause (HYPERPOLARIZATION/DEPOLARIZATION) of the cells and (MORE/LESS) release of the neurotransmitter glutamate. In conditions of darkness, the cells are consistently (HYPERPOLARIZED/DEPOLARIZED) and release (MORE/LESS) glutamate. This is what we call the “dark current”. Light suppresses the dark current.
Hyperpolarization
Less
Depolarized
More
Why do neuronal cells of the retina use graded potentials rather than action potentials (except in ganglion cells)?
Graded depolarization leads to increases in NT release at their synapses with ganglion cells. Therefore, they’re always releasing varying streams of glutamate, but that concentration is either very small (like a trickle) or very large (like a flood). If these cells relied on APs, then glutamate release would be binary, either it occurs or it doesn’t.
Bipolar cells have two subtypes, which are…
ON-center bipolar cells
OFF-center bipolar cells
This type of bipolar cell has activation of a photoreceptor in the center of this bipolar cell’s receptive field, which causes depolarization of the bipolar cell.
ON-center bipolar cells
ON-center bipolar cells work because they have a special version of the glutamate receptors, called ________. This receptor is a Gi GPCR-metabotropic receptor. When glutamate binds to this receptor it decreases the cation influx by closing the _______ _______ channels. Therefore, high concentrations of glutamate closes the channel and the ON-center bipolar cells remain inactivated, but low concentrations of glutamate allows the channel to open and the ON-center bipolar cell will depolarize.
mGluR6
cGMP-gated Na+
***Remember, when there is light then LESS glutamate is released. This is when the ON-center bipolar cells work.
This type of bipolar cell has activation of a photoreceptor in the center of tis bipolar cell’s receptive field, which causes hyperpolarization of the bipolar cell.
OFF-center bipolar cells
Put the following steps involving the ON-center bipolar cells in order:
A. Less Gi signaling.
B. Depolarizes the cell.
C. Light (photons) decrease the presence of glutamate.
D. Less activation of mGluR6 (metabotropic receptor) on the ON-center bipolar cell.
E. Less glutamate around.
F. Results in an increase in cation influx into the bipolar cell (opens cGMP-gated Na+ channels).
1) C.
2) E.
3) D.
4) A.
5) F.
6) B.
OFF-center bipolar cells express the normal, common version of the glutamate receptor known as _________ receptors (ionotropic). When glutamate is present, it binds to the receptor, the ion channel opens, and the cell depolarizes like normal.
Non-NMDA
This is a region of the visual field. When visual stimuli is presented to a neuron within this then the activity of the neuron changes.
Receptive field
There are lots of arborization of ganglion cell dendrites in the…
Inner Plexiform Layer
Ganglion cells are also ON-center and OFF-center varieties (whichever kind of bipolar cell it’s connected to). If the associated bipolar cell is depolarized, it releases ________ to subsequently depolarize the ganglion cell.
Glutamate
Ganglion cells express the typical glutamate receptors, either _______ or _______, that when activated with result in depolarization.
NMDA
Non-NMDA
T/F. Ganglion cells use action potentials rather than graded potentials.
True
Ganglion cell axons come the fibers of the…
Optic Nerve
In the cortex, the ganglion cells will themselves release ________.
Glutamate
These cells are generally inhibitory (release glycine or GABA) and suppress nearby activity. They are particularly important in allowing us to see in low-light conditions to enhance edges, shadows, and contrasting areas of luminance in our environment.
Amacrine cells (and other horizontal cells)
***What we term “rod-amacrine cells” are greatly utilized by stimulation of rod-photoreceptors and rod-bipolar cells pathways.