Retinal waves

<p>Retinal waves are spontaneous bursts of <a href="/facts/Action_potentials/Sz8yCRqx">action potentials</a> that propagate in a wave-like fashion across the developing <a href="/facts/Retina/v0ISNX2S">retina</a>. These waves occur before <a href="/facts/Rod_cell/mNd9Sf1E">rod</a> and <a href="/facts/Cone_cell/JoQeEzoF">cone</a> maturation and before <a href="/facts/Visual_perception/g7Tfaq2l">vision</a> can occur. The signals from retinal waves drive the activity in the dorsal <a href="/facts/Lateral_geniculate_nucleus/DcRMnj1J">lateral geniculate nucleus</a> (dLGN) and the primary <a href="/facts/Visual_cortex/qmF8F5Sb">visual cortex</a>. The waves are thought to propagate across neighboring cells in random directions determined by periods of refractoriness that follow the initial depolarization. Retinal waves are thought to have properties that define early connectivity of circuits and <a href="/facts/Synapses/vdMRJCUn">synapses</a> between cells in the retina. There is still much debate about the exact role of retinal waves. Some contend that the waves are instructional in the formation of retinogeniculate pathways, while others argue that the activity is necessary but not instructional in the formation of retinogeniculate pathways.
</p>

Retinal waves open-in-new

Retinal waves