Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol 39, Issue 6 1193-1209, Copyright © 1976 by APS

ARTICLES

Properties of relay cells in cat's lateral geniculate nucleus: a comparison of W-cells with X- and Y-cells

P. D. Wilson, M. H. Rowe and J. Stone

1. Observations are presented on the physiological properties of W-, X-, and Y-type relay cells in the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Emphasis is placed on the most recently recognized type, W-cells; data are presented on X- and Y-cells by way of comparison. 2. Seventy-seven W-cells were recognized on 70 microelectrode penetrations through the LGN. They resembled W-type retinal ganglion cells in their responses to visual stimuli. Tonic (on-center and off-center) W-cells, phasic (on-, off- and on-off center) W-cells, suppressed-by-contrast, and color-coded cells were recognized. 3. W-type relay cells also resembled retinal W-cells in their maintained activity and receptive field-center diameters. 4. W-type relay cells comprised 11.5% X-cells 48.4%, and Y-cells 22.3% of all LGN cells encountered on a reference sample of 62 electrode tracks. W-cells were found in laminae C, C1, and C2, comprising 36.5% of the sample in these laminae, but were not encountered in laminae A or A1. X- and Y-cells were found in laminae A, A1, and C. Within lamina C there was a tendency for X- and Y-cells to be located dorsal to W-cells. There was thus a substantial dorsoventral segregation of W-cells from X- and Y-cells. W-cells being found in the ventral parvocellular component of the dorsal LGN. 5. Cells considered to be W-type relay cells were shown to respond to electrical stimulation of the optic nerve and chiasm at latencies which were longer than those of X- and Y-cells, and were consistent with their receiving monosynaptic input from retinal W-cells. Geniculate W-cells of all subtypes were activated antidromically from the visual cortex. Their antidromic latencies were, on the average, longer than for Y- or X-cells, indicating that W-type relay cells had slower axons as well as slower retinal afferents, than X- or Y-cells. 6. The visual cortex thus appears to receive input from all three major types of retinal ganlion cells (W-, X-, and Y-cells) relayed separately, in parallel, by different groups of relay cells.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Bonin, V. Mante, and M. Carandini The statistical computation underlying contrast gain control. J. Neurosci., June 7, 2006; 26(23): 6346 - 6353. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Weng, C.-I Yeh, C. R. Stoelzel, and J.-M. Alonso Receptive Field Size and Response Latency Are Correlated Within the Cat Visual Thalamus J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2005; 93(6): 3537 - 3547. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. R. Peterson, B. Li, and R. D. Freeman The Derivation of Direction Selectivity in the Striate Cortex J. Neurosci., April 7, 2004; 24(14): 3583 - 3591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-I Yeh, C. R. Stoelzel, and J.-M. Alonso Two Different Types of Y Cells in the Cat Lateral Geniculate Nucleus J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2003; 90(3): 1852 - 1864. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Humphrey, A. B. Saul, and J. C. Feidler Strobe Rearing Prevents the Convergence of Inputs With Different Response Timings Onto Area 17 Simple Cells J Neurophysiol, December 1, 1998; 80(6): 3005 - 3020. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Cai, G. C. Deangelis, and R. D. Freeman Spatiotemporal Receptive Field Organization in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus of Cats and Kittens J Neurophysiol, August 1, 1997; 78(2): 1045 - 1061. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Hockfield, R.D. McKay, S.H.C. Hendry, and E.G. Jones A Surface Antigen That Identifies Ocular Dominance Columns in the Visual Cortex and Laminar Features of the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1983; 48(0): 877 - 889. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Leventhal, R. Rodieck, and B Dreher Retinal ganglion cell classes in the Old World monkey: morphology and central projections Science, September 4, 1981; 213(4512): 1139 - 1142. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. Murphy and R Kalil Functional organization of lateral geniculate cells following removal of visual cortex in the newborn kitten Science, November 9, 1979; 206(4419): 713 - 716. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Friedlander, C. Lin, and S. Sherman Structure of physiologically identified X and Y cells in the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus Science, June 8, 1979; 204(4397): 1114 - 1117. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Kratz, S. Sherman, and R Kalil Lateral geniculate nucleus in dark-reared cats: loss of Y cells without changes in cell size Science, March 30, 1979; 203(4387): 1353 - 1355. [Abstract] [PDF]