# Structure and Function of Primate Retinal Circuits

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · 2022 · $377,671

## Abstract

An understanding of the normal structure and function of the retina is important to appreciate changes
that occur during disease, development and aging. To this end, a longstanding goal for the field has
been to obtain a unified functional, molecular and morphological classification of the neural cell types in
the primate retina. To address this need, we will use a state-of-the-art approach to interrogate neuronal
function in molecularly-defined ganglion and amacrine cell types in primate retina. Our method
combines two-photon calcium imaging of light-evoked responses with a novel, high-throughput method
to molecularly classify cell types in situ and at unprecedented scale. We will use this integrated
approach to determine the functional properties of molecularly-defined wide-field ganglion cells and
GABAergic amacrine cell types that have hitherto been difficult to target using conventional
electrophysiological approaches. In Aim 1, we will determine the spatiotemporal response properties,
mosaics and morphologies of ganglion cell types that are disproportionately represented in peripheral
retina. In Aim 2, we will examine how regional differences in inhibitory neurons and their connections
shape the functional response properties of the foveal and peripheral retina. We expect that completion
of these aims will reveal novel insights into the distinct cellular and circuit mechanisms that shape
visual processing in the foveal and peripheral retina.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10318653
- **Project number:** 5R01EY024265-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- **Principal Investigator:** Teresa Puthussery
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $377,671
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10318653

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10318653, Structure and Function of Primate Retinal Circuits (5R01EY024265-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10318653. Licensed CC0.

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