Visual Response Properties of Y Cells in the Detached Feline Retina

Abstract

Retinal detachment induced rapid functional remodeling that resulted in degenerated Y-cell function, including an elevated luminance threshold and a deteriorated contrast threshold. Detachment had a greater impact on the latter. These physiological changes after retinal detachment could be used as objective indicators of early deterioration of visual function in future studies of retinal remodeling.

Effects of Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid and Alpha-Lipoic-Acid on the Visual Response Properties of Cat Retinal Ganglion Cells: An In Vitro Study

“…22,23 Briefly, the animal was dark adapted for 45 minutes prior to enucleation. Under dim red light, the lens and vitreous were carefully removed with a pair of fine-tip forceps.…”

“…22,23 Briefly, visual stimuli were generated by programming a graphics card (Millennium 3000; Matrox, Dorval, Quebec, Canada), displayed on a 5-inch monochromic Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitor (P4 phosphor, 600 3 800 pixels, 60 Hz; SVGA; Kristel Corp., St. Charles, IL, USA), and imaged with a first-surface mirror and lens (Edmond Scientific, Barrington, NJ, USA) on the film plane of the microscope's camera port. This method ensured that the stimulus was sharply focused when the electrode tip was in focus with the eyepiece.…”

“…Incremental threshold luminance sensitivity tests were conducted according to previously published methods. 17,23 In general, a criterion response for threshold irradiance was obtained by gradually increasing the intensity levels of the testing stimuli; a firing rate of two spikes per second above the baseline rate was set as a threshold response. If none of the test stimuli produced exactly two spikes per second, the threshold was determined by linear interpolation.…”

Functional evaluation of iodoacetic acid induced photoreceptor degeneration in the cat

“…All animals were assessed with the full-field ERG. Cats were anesthetized using the protocol previously described by Nan et al [15]. During the recording, the animal body temperature was maintained at 37C with a heating blanket.…”

“…Both of the IAA-treated cats have no pupillary light reflex and ERG responses. The details of immunohistochemical staining have been described elsewhere [15]. Briefly, eyes were enucleated while animals were under deep anesthesia and the lens and vitreous were immediately removed with a pair of fine-tip forceps.…”