Retinal ganglion cell distribution and spatial resolution in the Asiatic toad Bufo gargarizans (Günther, 1859)

[Display omitted] •An area centralis and visual streak were found in the Asiatic toad retina.•The total number of retinal ganglion cells ranged from 266 to 309 thousand cells.•The spatial resolution was minimum in the dorsal and ventral periphery.•The spatial resolution was maximum in the area centr...

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Veröffentlicht in:Vision research (Oxford) 2022-06, Vol.195, p.107960-107960, Article 107960
1. Verfasser: Pushchin, Igor
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:[Display omitted] •An area centralis and visual streak were found in the Asiatic toad retina.•The total number of retinal ganglion cells ranged from 266 to 309 thousand cells.•The spatial resolution was minimum in the dorsal and ventral periphery.•The spatial resolution was maximum in the area centralis.•The present findings are consistent with the species' visual behavior. Vision plays a crucial role in the biology of anurans. The spatial arrangement of retinal ganglion cells (GCs) is closely related to visual behavior in vertebrates. There is scarce data on GC topography in anurans, in particular, in toads. I studied the number and distribution of GCs in the retina of the Asiatic toad Bufo gargarizans. GCs were unevenly distributed across the retina. Their spatial density was minimum in the dorsal periphery (3374 and 2486 cells/mm2 in the smaller and larger toad, respectively). It increased towards the retinal equator, where a moderately pronounced visual streak was observed comprising several “patches” of a greater GC density. The streak had somewhat “vague” dorsal and ventral borders. The maximum GC density (8605 and 7282 cells/mm2 in the smaller and larger toad, respectively) was found in the temporal retina, slightly dorsal to the equator. The respective zone was identified as an area centralis. The total GC number ranged from 266 × 103 (smaller toad) to 309 × 103 cells (larger toad). The spatial resolution as estimated from eye geometry and GC density in air was minimum in the dorsal periphery (0.90 and 0.79 cycles per degree in smaller and larger toads, respectively) and maximum in the area centralis (1.43 and 1.36 cycles per degree in smaller and larger toads, respectively). Both retinal specializations found in the Asiatic toad match its biology.
ISSN:0042-6989
1878-5646
DOI:10.1016/j.visres.2021.10.001