PUBLICATION

Spectral properties of the zebrafish visual motor response

Authors
Burton, C.E., Zhou, Y., Bai, Q., Burton, E.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-170308-5
Date
2017
Source
Neuroscience letters   646: 62-67 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Burton, Edward A.
Keywords
Reflex, Retina, non-visual opsins, optogenetics, visual motor response, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal/physiology*
  • Larva
  • Light*
  • Optogenetics/methods
  • Photic Stimulation*/methods
  • Reflex/physiology*
  • Visual Pathways/physiology*
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
28267562 Full text @ Neurosci. Lett.
Abstract
Larval zebrafish react to changes in ambient illumination with a series of stereotyped motor responses, called the visual motor response (VMR). The VMR has been used widely in zebrafish models to analyze how genetic or environmental manipulations alter neurological function. Prior studies elicited the VMR using white light. In order to elucidate the underlying afferent pathways and to identify light wavelengths that elicit the VMR without also activating optogenetic reagents, we employed calibrated narrow-waveband light sources to analyze the spectral properties of the response. Narrow light wavebands with peaks between 399nm and 632nm triggered the characteristic phases of the VMR, but there were quantitative differences between responses to different light wavelengths at the same irradiant flux density. The O-bend component of the VMR was elicited readily at dark onset following illumination in 399nm or 458nm light, but was less prominent at the transition from 632nm light to dark. Conversely, stable motor activity in light was observed at 458nm, 514nm, and 632nm, but not at 399nm. The differential effect of discrete light wavebands on components of the VMR suggests they are driven by distinct photoreceptor populations. Furthermore, these data enable the selection of light wavebands to drive the VMR in a separate channel to the activation of optogenetic reagents and photosensitizers.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping