Retinal bipolar cells are the first'projection neurons' of the vertebrate visual system—all of
the information needed for vision is relayed by this intraretinal connection. Each of the at …

In recent years, sensory neuroscientists have made major efforts to dissect the structure and
function of ribbon synapses which process sensory information in the eye and ear. This …

The weight of synaptic connections, which is controlled not only postsynaptically but also
presynaptically, is a key determinant in neuronal network dynamics. The mechanisms …

The mammalian retina is an important model system for studying neural circuitry: Its role in
sensation is clear, its cell types are relatively well defined, and its responses to natural …

Sensory synapses of the visual and auditory systems must faithfully encode a wide dynamic
range of graded signals, and must be capable of sustained transmitter release over long …

Inner hair cell ribbon synapses indefatigably transmit acoustic information. The proteins
mediating their fast vesicle replenishment (hundreds of vesicles per s) are unknown. We …

Alpha/Y-type retinal ganglion cells encode visual information with a receptive field
composed of nonlinear subunits. This nonlinear subunit structure enhances sensitivity to …

Cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs), the mammalian auditory sensory cells, encode acoustic
signals with high fidelity by Graded variations of their membrane potential trigger rapid and …

Calcium influx through voltage-gated Ca (CaV) channels is the first step in synaptic
transmission. This review concerns CaV channels at ribbon synapses in primary sense …

Cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) form specialized ribbon synapses with spiral ganglion
neurons that tirelessly transmit sound information at high rates over long time periods with …