Abstract
Purpose :
Retinal Ganglion Cell (RGC) types have traditionally been classified based on visual stimuli, but understanding their responses to electrical stimulation is crucial in the context of retinal degeneration. This study aims to classify RGCs according to their electrical input filters, extracted through the Spike Triggered Averaging (STA) method. This categorization enables a nuanced understanding of how these pathways respond, contributing to the development and optimization of therapeutic strategies.
Methods :
Visual stimuli and randomly distributed electrical pulses were administered to both healthy and degenerating (4-week-old rd10) mouse retinas. Ganglion cell spike trains were recorded using a 60-channel microelectrode array. Hierarchical clustering was employed to categorize RGC populations based on their visual and electrical responses.
Results :
In healthy retinas, responses revealed 35 visual patterns and 14 electrical patterns. Conversely, degenerating retinas exhibited 12 visual patterns and 23 electrical patterns. Limited correspondences were observed between electrical and visual response patterns, except for the known correlation of ON visual type with upward deflecting electrical type and OFF cells with downward electrical profiles.
Conclusions :
This approach holds promise for advancing our understanding of retinal ganglion cell responses in health and degeneration. The comprehensive classification of visual and electrical retinal pathway types serves as a valuable tool for evaluating the functionality of therapeutic interventions, such as gene or cell therapy, in the context of retinal degeneration.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.