Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Visual System01:26

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
The Retina01:32

The Retina

The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cell-type-specific parallel pathways in the canonical cortical microcircuit.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Author Correction: Foundation model of neural activity predicts response to new stimulus types.

Nature·2026
Same author

The synaptic architecture of layer 5 thick tufted excitatory neurons in mouse visual cortex.

Nature neuroscience·2025
Same author

Author Correction: Inhibitory specificity from a connectomic census of mouse visual cortex.

Nature·2025
Same author

An unsupervised map of excitatory neuron dendritic morphology in the mouse visual cortex.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

CAVE: Connectome Annotation Versioning Engine.

Nature methods·2025
Same journal

Inhibitory Neurons in Human Anterior Entorhinal Cortex and Some Comparisons With the Rhesus Monkey.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
Same journal

In Situ Hybridization Chain Reaction and Immunohistochemical Labeling of the Octopamine Production Pathway in the Central Nervous System of Lymnaea stagnalis.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
Same journal

Innervation Pattern of Inhibitory Projection Neurons in the Bird Sound Localization Circuit.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
Same journal

Mu Opioid Receptor mRNA and Protein Localization Across the Rat and Mouse Habenula.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
Same journal

Proline-Rich Transmembrane Protein 2 Is Variably Expressed Across Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons in Mouse Motor Circuits.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
Same journal

Brain Distribution of Orthopedia (Otp) Transcription Factor in Bony Fish: A Comparative Neuroanatomical Perspective.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

The W cell pathway to cat primary visual cortex.

John C Anderson1, Nuno Maçarico da Costa, Kevan A C Martin

  • 1Institute for Neuroinformatics, University of Zürich, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.

The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|June 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The W pathway

More Related Videos

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits
07:43

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits

Published on: December 27, 2013

Revealing Neural Circuit Topography in Multi-Color
09:11

Revealing Neural Circuit Topography in Multi-Color

Published on: November 14, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits
07:43

Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits

Published on: December 27, 2013

Revealing Neural Circuit Topography in Multi-Color
09:11

Revealing Neural Circuit Topography in Multi-Color

Published on: November 14, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Visual System
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Thalamic input to cat's area 17 comprises W, X, and Y pathways.
  • W pathway's structure and function are poorly understood compared to X and Y pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To structurally characterize W axon synapses in cat's area 17.
  • To quantitatively compare W, X, and Y pathway synapse structures.

Main Methods:

  • 3-D reconstruction of single W axons using light and electron microscopy.
  • In vivo labeling of thalamic axons via biotinylated dextran amine injections into the dLGN.
  • Quantitative analysis of synapse structure, including postsynaptic density area.

Main Results:

  • W axons arborize in layers 1, 2/3, and 5 of area 17.
  • Most W boutons form single synapses, primarily targeting dendritic spines.
  • W pathway synapses in layer 1 are larger than those in layers 2/3 and 5, and comparable to X and Y synapses in layer 4.

Conclusions:

  • W axons in layer 1 likely target apical dendrites of pyramidal cells.
  • The W pathway can excite both proximal and distal regions of pyramidal cell dendrites.
  • This study provides a detailed structural basis for understanding W pathway function in visual processing.