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Melanopsin-dependent light avoidance in neonatal mice.

Juliette Johnson1, Vincent Wu, Michael Donovan

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|September 22, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Newborn mice exhibit negative phototaxis, turning away from light before their eyes open. This light avoidance is mediated by melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), independent of rod and cone vision.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) expressing melanopsin regulate non-image-forming visual functions.
  • In mice, ipRGCs are light-responsive from birth, but rod and cone signaling begins later, after eyelids open (P12-13).
  • The function of ipRGCs in neonates before the onset of rod/cone signaling remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of ipRGCs in neonatal mice before the onset of rod and cone vision.
  • To determine if light avoidance behavior (negative phototaxis) is present in early-stage mouse pups.
  • To establish the role of melanopsin in mediating this early light response.

Main Methods:

  • Recording light-induced ipRGC responses in neonatal mouse retinas (younger than P9).

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  • Observing behavioral responses of mouse pups (as young as P6) to light stimuli.
  • Comparing light responses in wild-type pups versus pups lacking melanopsin.

    • Main Results:

    • Mouse pups as young as P6 displayed negative phototaxis, turning away from light.
    • ipRGCs showed light-responsive activity in pups younger than P9, prior to rod/cone signaling.
    • Negative phototaxis was absent in mice lacking melanopsin, indicating its necessity.

    Conclusions:

    • Light activation of melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs is necessary and sufficient for negative phototaxis in neonatal mice.
    • This light avoidance behavior is evident before the development of rod/cone vision and image-forming vision.
    • Early ipRGC light activation may influence physiological functions like sleep/wake cycles in preterm infants.