How photoreceptor synapses in the retina transmit the light response

old_uid9229
titleHow photoreceptor synapses in the retina transmit the light response
start_date2010/11/09
schedule10h30
onlineno
detailsInvitation Valentin Nagerl
summaryRod and cone photoreceptors transmit information to other neurons through specialized structures called ribbon synapses. Unlike most synapses, ribbon synapses continuously release neurotransmitter, with light causing a decrease in the rate of release. We are using lipophilic fluorescence dyes, along with 2-photon, confocal, and electron microscopy, to track the life cycle of synaptic vesicles in photoreceptor terminals. This process starts with endocytosis, includes interactions with the synaptic ribbon, and ends with exocytosis. We are also examining how light and synaptic feedback regulate exocytosis from rods and cones. The use of activity-dependent dyes to stain synaptic vesicles allows investiagation of individual synapses and the behavior of 2-dimensional arrays of synapses while the retina is resonding to visual images.
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