Role of individual retinal ganglion cell types in visual computation and behaviors

Project Information

IndiVISUAL

Grant agreement ID: 748332

DOI

10.3030/748332

Project terminated on 31 August 2019

EC signature date 22 February 2017

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 August 2020

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 212 194,80

EU contribution

€ 212 194,80

Coordinated by

AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IndiVISUAL (Role of individual retinal ganglion cell types in visual computation and behaviors)

Reporting period: 2018-09-01 to 2020-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Problems assessed in current project aim to better understand vision at a single cell type resolution.
Besides contributing to better understanding of the circuit mechanism of vision, this could provide significant
insight on how visual impairment affects cell types of the retina.
Visual impairment affects approximately 26 million Europeans (WHO 2010), with significant numbers suffering from
unique cell type (Retinal ganglion cells) affecting illness like glaucoma
The overall objectives of the project aim to analyze the morphological and physiological function of individual retinal
cell types and to answer the question what is the role of an individual retinal ganglion cell type in visual computation and behaviour.
First we aim to characterize the morphological and physiological properties of Cre-labeled retinal ganglion cell types, this will provide the
tool-set needed. In the second phase aim to manipulate the activity of labeled ganglion cell types while observing central
processing and behavior, and to disseminate the findings.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the initial steps of the project, we are screening mouse lines for single cell type labeling, we look at cellular morphology and projections.
For the identified mouse lines experiments are currently performed for single cell type ablation. Once ablation is complete we will assess behavioral changes.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

This project aims to better understand what is the physiological function of retinal ganglion cell types affected during vision loss.
By the end of the project we aim to better understand how the large diversity of retina ganglion cell types integrate different visual stimuli,
and how they contribute to behaviour. This will not only benefit the field of basic research, but could potentially prove invaluable for developing better
treatments for retinal diseases.

retinas.png