Gautam Bhagwan Awatramani

Cone bipolar cell synapses generate transient versus sustained signals in parallel ON pathways of the mouse retina

The paper examines how different ON bipolar cell subtypes generate distinct kinetic responses in transient and sustained ON retinal ganglion cells through synaptic mechanisms.

Spatiotemporal properties of glutamate input support direction selectivity in the dendrites of retinal starburst amacrine cells

The paper measures glutamate input kinetics in retinal starburst amacrine cells and shows that proximal dendrites have higher vesicle release rates, supporting a space-time wiring model for direction selectivity.

Gain control by sparse, ultra-slow glycinergic synapses

The paper identifies glycinergic narrow field amacrine cells as a dominant inhibitory source for retinal ON starburst amacrine cells, revealing their role in modulating direction selectivity through ultra-slow glycine receptors.

Rapid 'multi-directed' cholinergic transmission at central synapses

This study demonstrates that acetylcholine (ACh) signaling at retinal synapses exhibits both synaptic and non-synaptic transmission characteristics, with rapid currents and limited spread.

The functional organization of excitation and inhibition in the dendritic arbors of retinal direction-selective ganglion cells

The paper investigates the subcellular organization of excitation and inhibition in retinal direction-selective ganglion cells using imaging and genetic methods, showing direction selectivity emerges in small dendritic segments with homogenous encoding.

Retinal direction selectivity in the absence of asymmetric starburst amacrine cell responses

The paper shows that direction selectivity in retinal ganglion cells persists even when starburst amacrine cell responses are non-directional, revealing an alternative mechanism based on temporal asymmetries in excitation and inhibition.