On the spatial mismatch of rod and cone mediated inputs to cat retinal ganglion cells

Abstract

The determination of threshold sensitivities of cat retinal ganglion cells to 452 nm-blue and 578 nm-yellow narrow-band lights were undertaken prior to the mapping of the rod- and cone-mediated receptive field centres. In some brisk sustained on-centre retinal ganglion cells two distinct and spatially separated regions were noted such that one region was maximally sensitive to 452 nm-blue and the other to 578 nm-yellow lights. The two wavelength-dependent regions of maximal sensitivity are presumably related to asymmetries between rod- and cone-mediated inputs, rather than between inputs mediated by different classes of cones and correspond, respectively, to the loci of the rod- and cone-mediated centres.