Charles L. Zucker

The primary focus of our laboratory is the functional microcircuitry in the vertebrate retina. Using a variety of intracellular filling, immunohistochemical and microscopy techniques, we are exploring the neurotransmitter circuitry underlying the ability of retinal ganglion cells to encode directional and motion information. Of particular interes tis the involvement of acetylcholine, GABA and glycine receptors and the specific arrangement of these receptors on the dendrites of retinal neurons. By combining information gained about conventional and non-conventional synaptic arrangements with high resolution receptor localization, such studies allow for the construction of functional circuit models of specific, physiologically defined, retinal functions.