No abstract

In cat retina, rod bipolar terminials do not synapse on ganglion cells but on two types of amacrine cell (types I and II). Cone bipolars synapse directly on ganglion cells and on type I amacrines. The type II amacrine appears to play a special internuncial role between bipolars and ganglion cells in the rod system.

The inner plexiform layer of the mammalian retina has a bisublaminar organization determined by restricted branching of the terminals of cone bipolar cells and dendrites of class I (large) and class II (small) ganglion cells. Comparison of dendritic field diameters and receptive fiedl center sizes of large ganglion cells suggests that neural circuitry in sublamina a conveys "OFF"-center properties and connections in sublamina b "ON"-center properties to retinal ganglion cells.