Using microelectrodes, scientists could show that cells in the retina play different roles. The produce different signals, which is important for the processing of visual information. These differences are remarkably stable and still persist in the retina of blind animals. This is important for retinal implants.
The retina is often referred to as an"outpost of the brain" -- after all, important steps in visual signal processing do not take place in the cerebrum, but in the nerve cells in the eye. When light falls on the retina, sensor cells become active and send electrical signals to layers of nerve cells located directly behind them. From there, signals are passed on to the brain.
"We found that when we directly stimulate the cells with electric current, they show a signalling pattern very similar to the one they produce when exposed to light," says Paul Werginz."Ganglion cells that show an increased activity pattern for a longer time period when exposed to light also do so when electrically stimulated."
However, this is different for retinal ganglion cells:"We examined the cells of mice that had been blind for 200 days, and their retinal ganglion cells still showed exactly the same properties: some could be made to be active for a short time with electrical input, others for longer," says Paul Werginz. The cells therefore retain their intrinsic ability to deliver certain signals.
Neuroscience Perception Hearing Impairment Biology Molecular Biology Biotechnology Cell Biology
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