Synaptic Connectivity Of Colour Pathways In Primate Retina
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,500.00
Summary
The first step in the visual process occurs when light enters the eye and activates specialised nerve cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors for daytime vision (called cones for their cone-like shape) comprise three types, which are sensitive to the long- (red), medium- (green) or short-wavelength (blue) regions of the visible spectrum. Although the properties of the cones are well known, the way in which they are functionally connected to nerve pathways for vision is not clearly unders ....The first step in the visual process occurs when light enters the eye and activates specialised nerve cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors for daytime vision (called cones for their cone-like shape) comprise three types, which are sensitive to the long- (red), medium- (green) or short-wavelength (blue) regions of the visible spectrum. Although the properties of the cones are well known, the way in which they are functionally connected to nerve pathways for vision is not clearly understood. Clinical research has shown that reduced sensitivity to blue light is a feature of the early stages of certain visual diseases (for example, glaucoma), so it is important to know how the short-wavelength (blue) cones contribute to visual functions such as form, motion and colour perception. Such knowledge can help to design better tests for diagnosis of visual disorders, and will improve our understanding of the normal function of the visual system in the human brain. In this project the connections of neurones in the primate retina (the nerve cells which line the back of the eye) will be analysed. The blue cones and other nerve cells will be identified using contemporary anatomical methods (double- and triple-label immunocytochemistry) combined with a new method for high-resolution light microscopy, called deconvolution microscopy. Immunocytochemistry is a method borrowed from the field of immunology, where specific antibodies are raised which bind selectively to label specific populations of neurones. Deconvolution microscopy allows rapid and simultaneous visualisation of multiple labelled cell classes, at a resolution close to the limit of the light microscope. Together, these techniques allow the wiring diagram of the blue cones within the retina to be analysed to a higher level of accuracy than previously achieved. The results will improve our understanding of the role of blue-cone circuits in normal vision and visual disorders.Read moreRead less
Molecular Mechanisms Of Photoreceptor Protection In Rat Models Of Degenerative Retinal Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$277,480.00
Summary
The photoreceptor cells of the eye (rods and cones) are the cornerstones of vision. Without them the complex and rich sense of vision fades into blindness. In 1 person in 4-5,000 - about 5,000 Australians and 1-2 million people world-wide - these cells degenerate spontaneously. The condition which results is known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP); it causes progesses blindness, most often affecting young adults. Despite recent advances in research, there is still no effective cure. The present work ....The photoreceptor cells of the eye (rods and cones) are the cornerstones of vision. Without them the complex and rich sense of vision fades into blindness. In 1 person in 4-5,000 - about 5,000 Australians and 1-2 million people world-wide - these cells degenerate spontaneously. The condition which results is known as retinitis pigmentosa (RP); it causes progesses blindness, most often affecting young adults. Despite recent advances in research, there is still no effective cure. The present work will explore the environmental factors which determine whether photoreceptors last the lifetime of the individual, or die prematurely. The factors which cause their premature death include genetic mutations but also include environmental factors, including the oxygen status of the retina, the brightness of light experienced and the retina's response to stress. We will investigate the mechanisms by which the retina protects photoreceptors in the face of stress, and how it prepares itself for future insults. Several of these mechanisms have already been identified. The present work will investigate their function at the molecular level, to gain the understanding need to influence their operation. Understanding the response of photoreceptors to these environmental stresses will make it possible to slow the degeneration by manipulating the retinal environment.Read moreRead less
Sensory Neuronal Pathways From The Lower Genital Tract Of Females
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$397,224.00
Summary
Many women experience severe debilitating pain upon normally innocuous contact with their genitalia. The causes of this pain are unknown. Therefore, this project will use a suite of sophisticated microscopic and electrical recording techniques to identify the neural pathways that transmit sensation, including pain, from the female lower genital tract. Our new data will help create a rational basis for understanding and treating the physical basis of genital pain in women.