Abstract
The pattern of neuronal connections in the visual system of mammals with highly developed binocular vision is a remarkable example of complexity and precision. Inputs from each retina are segregated in the geniculostriate system (Gerey et al., 1991), so that retinal ganglion cell axons terminate in separate, eye-specific layers within the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dlgn). In turn, the axons of dlgn neurons project to the primary visual cortex in alternating clusters, providing the anatomical basis for ocular dominance columns (LeVay et al., 1975). However, during the early phases of development the projections from each eye are completely intermingled in the dlgn and the superior colliculus of fetal monkeys and cats. In these species, retinal axons segregate in the second half of gestation into the eye specific domains characteristic of the mature animal (Rakic, 1976 1977; Shatz, 1983; Williams and Chalupa, 1982; White and Chalupa, 1991).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bisti S. and Trimarchi C. (1993) Visual performance in behaving cats after prenatal unilateral enucleation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90, 11142–11146.
Bisti S., Trimarchi C. and Turlejski K. (1995) Prenatal monocular enucleation induces a selective loss of low-spatial-frequency cortical responses to the remaining eye. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92, 3908–3912.
Chalupa L.M. and Williams R.W. (1984) Organization of the cat’s lateral geniculate nucleus following interruption of prenatal binocular competition. Hum. Neurobiol. 3, 103–107.
Chalupa L.M., Williams R.W. and Henderson Z. (1984) Binocular interaction in fetal catregulates the size of the ganglion cell population. Neuroscience, 12, 1139–1146.
Freeman R.D. and Bradley A. (1980) Monocular deprived humans: non deprived eye has supernormal vernier acuity. J. Neurophysiol. 43, 1645–1653.
Garey L.F., Dreher B. and Robinson S. (1991) The organization of the visual thalamus Vision and Visual Dysfunction, eds. Dreher B. & Robinson S.R. (Macmillan, London) Vol. 3, pp. 176–234.
Garraghty P.E., Shatz C.J., Sretavan D.W. and Sur M. (1988) Axon arbors of X and Y retinal ganglion cells are differentially affected by prenatal disruption of binocular input. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85, 7361–7365.
Johnson C.A., Post R.B., Chalupa L.M. and Lee T.J. (1982) Monocular deprivation in humans: a study of identical twins. Invest. Ophthal. & Vis. Sci. 23, 135–138.
Kirby M.A. and Chalupa L.M. (1986) Retinal crowding alters the morphology of alpha ganglion cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 251, 532–541.
LeVay S., Hubel D.H. and Wiesel T.N. (1975) The pattern of ocular dominannce columns in macaque visual cortex revealed by a reduced silver stain. J. Comp. Neurol., 159, 559–575.
MacAvoy M.G., Bruce C.J. and Rakic P.. (1987) Effect of prenatal monocular enucleation on vernier hyperacuity in rhesus monkeys. Soc. Neurosci. Abs., 13, 1244.
Rakic P. (1976) Prenatal genesis of connections subserving ocular dominance in the rhesus monkey. Nature, 261, 467–471.
Rakic P. (1977) development of the visual system in the rhesus monkey. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 278, 245–260.
Rakic P. (1981) Development of visual centers in the primate brain depends on binocular competition before birth. Science, 214, 928–931.
Rakic P. and Riley K.P. (1983) Regulation of axon number in the primate optic nerve by prenatal binocular competition. Nature, 305, 135–137.
Reese B.E., Guillery R.W., Marzi C.A. and Tassinari G. (1991) J. Comp. Neurol., 306, 539–553.
Shook B.L., Maffei L, and Chalupa L.M. (1985) Functional organization of the cat’s visual cortex after prenatal interruption of binocular interactions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 82, 3901–3905.
Shatz C.H. (1983) The prenatal development of the cat’s retino geniculate pathways. J. Neurosci. 3, 482–499.
Sur M. (1988) Development and plasicity of retinal X and Y axon terminations in the cat’s lateral geniculate nucleus. Braib Behav. Evol., 31, 243–251.
White C.A., Chalupa L.M., Maffei L., Kirby M.A. and Lia B. (1989) Response properties in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the adult cat after interruption of prenatal binocular interactions. J. Neurophysiol. 62, 1039–1051.
White C.A. and Chalupa L.M. (1991) Development of the mammalian retinofugal pathways in Vision and Visual Dysfunction, eds. Dreher B. & Robinson S.R. (Macmillan, London) Vol. 3, pp. 129–143.
Wiesel T.N. and Hubel D.H. (1963) Single-cell responsesin striate cortex of kittens deprived of vision in one eye. J. Neurophysiol. 26, 1003–1018.
Wiesel T.N. and Hubel D.H. (1965) Comparison of the effects of unilateral and bilateral eye closure on cortical unit responses in kittens. J. Neurophysiol. 28, 1029–1040.
Williams R.W. and Chalupa L.M. (1982) Prenatal development of retino collicular projections in the cat; an anterograde tracer transport study. J. Neurosci. 2, 604–622.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bisti, S., Deplano, S., Gargini, C. (1998). Functional Consequences of Eliminating Prenatal Binocular Interactions. In: Chalupa, L.M., Finlay, B.L. (eds) Development and Organization of the Retina. NATO ASI Series, vol 299. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5333-5_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5333-5_18
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7433-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5333-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive