Saltatory axonal conduction in the avian retina.

ABSTRACT: In contrast to most parts of the vertebrate nervous system, ganglion cell axons in the retina typically lack myelination. In the majority of species, ganglion cell axons only become myelinated after leaving the retina to form the optic nerve. The avian retina, however, presents a remarkable exception in that ganglion cell axons are partly myelinated in the retinal nerve fibre layer. It was hypothesized that the optically detrimental properties of retinal myelination are evolutionarily offset by advantages in spike conduction velocity. Using high-resolution multielectrode array recordings, we analysed the spike conduction in the retina of various avian species in comparison to mammalian species. Indeed, mammals showed lower conduction velocities than avian species. Myelinated axons typicall

SUBMITTER: Block CT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12576306 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature