Cellular mechanisms underlying retinal waves
We study spontaneous activity in the immature mouse retina. Mice are born with their eyes closed. Light responses are first detected at postnatal day 10 (P10) and their eyes open at P14. During these first two postnatal weeks, immature retinal circuits spontaneously generate propagating bursts of action potentials termed retinal waves. During this same postnatal period, there is tremendous amount of development within the visual system, including formation of retinal circuits that mediate various light responses, as well as sculpting of retinal projections to their primary targets in the brain. Hence, the developing visual system is a premier model system for studying the role of spontaneous activity in the development of functional circuits. Above is timeline that highlights the different retinal circuits that mediate retinal waves at different ages. Below, see some recent examples of research retinal wave mechanisms. Ongoing projects include understanding a role for waves in regulating dopamine levels in the developing retina and the basis of wave propagation bias.
C. Voufo et al 2023), Circuit mechanisms underlying embryonic retinal waves, eLife, 12:e81983
A. Tiriac, B. Smith, M. B. Feller (2018). Light prior to eye-opening promotes retinal waves and eye-specific segregation, Neuron, 100(5):1059-1065.
A. Firl, G. S. Sack,, Z. L. Newman, H. Tani, and Marla B. Feller (2013), “Role for extrasynaptic glutamate and inhibitory neurotransmission in modulating ganglion cell participation during glutamatergic retinal waves”, Journal of Neurophysiology, 109(7):1969-78.
C. Webster, J. Tworig, F. Caval-Holme, C. Morgans, M. B. Feller. (2020) Steroid activation of TRPM3 channels modulates spontaneous synaptic activity but not retinal waves in the developing retina, eNeuro, 7(2):ENEURO.0175-19.2020
A. Firl, J. Ke, L. Zhang, J. H. Singer, and M. B. Feller (2015), Elucidating the role of AII amacrine cells in glutamatergic retinal waves, Journal of Neuroscience, 35(4): 1675-86.
L. A. Kirkby, G. S, Sack, A. Firl and M. B. Feller (2013), “A role for correlated spontaneous activity in the assembly of neural circuits”, Neuron 80(5): 1129-44.