Spatially patterned gradients of synaptic connectivity are established early in the developing retina.

Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, 2205 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. scohenco@uci.edu

Retinal neurons receive input from other cells via synapses and the position of these synapses on the neurons reflects the retinal regions from which information is received. A new study in Neural Development establishes that the spatial distribution of excitatory synaptic inputs emerges at the onset of synapse formation rather than as a result of changes during neuronal reorganisation.

PMID: 18557997 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC2447535