Neural Principles in Vision: (Proceedings in Life Sciences)

Scientific investigation of the retina began with extensive studies of its anatomical structure. The selective staining of neurons achieved by the Golgi method has led to a comprehensive picture of the architecture of the tissue in terms of its individ­ ual elements. Cajal, in particular, used this tech­ nique to reveal the fundamentals of retinal struc­ ture. In the studies that followed, selective stain­ ing method continued to be decisive in the analysis of neuroanatomy, and in recent years these techniques have been complemented by electron microscopy. The complexity of retinal structure that has been revealed demands a functional explanation, and elec­ trophysiology attempts to provide it. But functional analysis, like anatomy, must ultimately be based on the single cell. It is only by using dyes to mark the recording site that one can identify the cells involved. When this succeeds, as it has recently, one can actually fit functional events into the ana­ tomical framework. With these advances, our strate­ gies and tactics toward an understanding of the structure and function of the retina have moved in­ to a new phase.

Table of Contents:
Opening Remarks.- 1 Vertebrates.- 1.1 Patterns of Golgi-Impregnated Neurons in a Predator-Type Fish Retina.- 1.2 A Comparative Study of the Horizontal Cells in the Vertebrate Retina: I. Mammals and Birds.- 1.3 Neuronal Connections and Cellular Arrangement in the Fish Retina.- 1.4 Golgi, Procion, Kernels and Current Injection.- 1.5 Electrophysiological and Histological Studies of the Carp Retina.- 1.6 Interactions and Feedbacks in the Turtle Retina.- 1.7 Interactions between Cones and Second-Order Neurons in the Turtle Retina.- 1.8 Synaptic Transmission from Photoreceptors to the Second-Order Neurons in the Carp Retina.- 1.9 Retinal Physiology in the Perfused Eye of the Cat.- 2 Arthropods.- 2.1 Adaptations of the Dragonfly Retina for Contrast Detection and the Elucidation of Neural Principles in the Peripheral Visual System.- 2.2 Voltage Noise in Insect Visual Cells.- 2.3 Spectral and Polarization Sensitivity of Identified Retinal Cells of the Fly.- 2.4 Neuronal Processing in the First Optic Neuropile of the Compound Eye of the Fly.- 2.5 Beyond the Wiring Diagram of the Lamina Ganglionaris of the Fly.- 2.6 Mosaic Organizations, Layers, and Visual Pathways in the Insect Brain.- 2.7 Structure and Function of the Peripheral Pathway in Hymenopterans.- 2.8 Neuronal Architecture and Function in the Ocellar System of the Locust.- 2.9 The Resolution of Lens and Compound Eyes.- 3 Molluscs.- 3.1 Ultrastructural Observations on the Cortex of the Optic Lobe of the Brain of Octopus and Eledone.- 3.2 The Question of Lateral Interactions in the Retina of Cephalopods.- 3.3 Hyperpolarizing Photoreceptors in Invertebrates.- 3.4 The Economy of Photoreceptor Function in a Primitive Nervous System.