Previous Research
Staff Research Associate
Bipolar Cell Receptive Field
The receptive field centers for bipolar cells of the salamander retina are very large, having diameters up to 600 mm. These diameters exceed the total lateral extent of a bipolar cell’s processes in the outer plexiform layer by an order of magnitude. From these observations we may infer that bipolar cells somehow receive signals not only from directly overlying photoreceptors but also from those photoreceptors further afield. An active process appears to shape signal waveform as signals spread laterally in the bipolar cell layer. Local, transient negative feedback from amacrine cells may be involved in shaping bipolar cell signals rather than chemical synaptic coupling between bipolar cells.
Receptive field of a retinal bipolar cell
The field is much larger than the physical extent of the neuron.
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the image for a larger version.
References
Links are provided when available
1990 Borges S, and Wilson M. The lateral spread
of signal between bipolar cells of the tiger salamander retina. Biological
Cybernetics 63:45-50.
1987 Borges S, and Wilson M. Structure of the receptive fields of bipolar cells in the salamander retina. J of Neurophysiology 58:1275-1291.
