Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.05.16.100008v1?rss=1 Authors: Young, B. K., Ramakrishnan, C., Ganjawala, T., Li, Y., Kim, S., Wang, P., Chen, R., Deisseroth, K., Tian, N. Abstract: Neurons in the CNS are distinguished from each other by their morphology, the types of the neurotransmitter they release, their synaptic connections, and their genetic profiles. While attempting to characterize the retinal bipolar cell (BC) input to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), we discovered a previously undescribed type of interneuron in mice and primates. This interneuron shares some morphological, physiological, and molecular features with traditional BCs, such as having dendrites that ramify in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and axons that ramify in the inner plexiform layer (IPL) to relay visual signals from photoreceptors to inner retinal neurons. It also shares some features with amacrine cells, particularly Aii amacrine cells, such as their axonal morphology and possibly the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine, along with the expression of some amacrine cell specific markers. Thus, we unveil an unrecognized type of interneuron, which may play unique roles in vision. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info