Vision is such a matter of course to us that we tend to underestimate the complexity of the neuronal processes which generate a reliable picture of our environment from the light falling into our eyes. The visual environment is continuously changing in its physical characteristics. The astonishing task of keeping visual perception largely stable, despite dynamic environmental conditions, and simultaneously providing high spatial resolution and precise temporal processing, is made possible by decisive contributions of the retina. Thus, the Research Unit focusses on the question, what retinal processing mechanisms ensure the high stability of our perception under dynamic environmental conditions?
The retina is a very special part of our nervous system inasmuch as it represents a self-contained unit of the signal/information processing system. Firstly, the incident light quanta are transformed into graduated alterations of the membrane potential in the photoreceptors. The result of this first step subsequently passes through an intensive further process in the retinal layers and is eventually transmitted to the brain by the retinal ganglion cells via the optic nerve. The optic nerve has a limited bandwidth, and therefore represents a bottleneck in the transmission of visual information. Visual information is therefore intensively processed, filtered and comprised in the retina, such that predominantly important and new aspects are transmitted to the brain in a coded form.
The retina, as an easily accessible part of the brain, opens up the prospect of understanding the processing mechanisms in neuronal networks better. While we are obtaining increasingly better data on the molecular structure of the nervous system and the localisation of activities in the brain, we are still far from explaining the neuronal processing mechanisms. The latter, however, are the core of all conscious and subconscious brain activities.
The Research Unit is well versed in all up-to-date neurobiology techniques, from molecular biology to electrophysiology. In seven subprojects, the aspects of retinal processing are analysed, covering adaptation mechanisms in the photoreceptors, special circuits for colour and motion vision, as well as coding mechanisms of ganglion cells.
DFG Programme
Research Units
Projects
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Farbverarbeitung in der Retina von dichromatischen Säugetieren - Anatomie und Physiologie
(Applicants
Euler, Thomas
;
Haverkamp, Silke
)
-
Mechanisms of Retinal Coding for Global Image Movement: A Comparative Approach
(Applicant
Ammermüller, Josef
)
-
Molekulare Grundlagen adaptiver Vorgänge an der Photorezeptor-Bandsynapse
(Applicant
Brandstätter, Johann Helmut
)
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Primärvorgänge des Sehens in Zapfen
(Applicant
Koch, Karl-Wilhelm
)
-
Retinale Ensemblekodierung bewegter Stimuli
(Applicant
Kretzberg, Jutta
)
-
Synaptische Interaktionen in der inneren plexiformen Schicht der Retina: Die Rolle von Wide-Field-Amakrinzellen
(Applicant
Weiler, Reto
)
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Synaptische Physiologie der äußeren Retina: Funktion und Bedeutung von Horizontalzellen
(Applicant
Feigenspan, Andreas
)
-
Verarbeitung von Farbsignalen in der Säuger-Retina: Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung des Zapfenmosaiks
(Applicant
Peichl, Leo
)
-
Visual perception of the Earth's magnetic field and night vision in songbirds
(Applicant
Mouritsen, Henrik
)
-
Zentralprojekt
(Applicant
Weiler, Reto
)
