2024
Specific retinal neurons regulate context-dependent defensive responses to visual threat
Lee T, Weinberg-Wolf H, Zapadka T, Rudenko A, Demb J, Kim I. Specific retinal neurons regulate context-dependent defensive responses to visual threat. PNAS Nexus 2024, 3: pgae423. PMID: 39359403, PMCID: PMC11443969, DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae423.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRetinal ganglion cellsBehavioral responsesRetinal ganglion cell typesVisual threatAlpha retinal ganglion cellsLooming stimuliThreatening stimuliMature miceGanglion cellsBehavioral reactionsUnique contributionsCell ablationVisual pathwayOutput neuronsEarly visual pathwayStimuliContextual signalsDefense responsesAerial predatorsEnvironmental context
2023
Brn3b regulates the formation of fear-related midbrain circuits and defensive responses to visual threat
Lee H, Weinberg-Wolf H, Lee H, Lee T, Conte J, Godoy-Parejo C, Demb J, Rudenko A, Kim IJ. Brn3b regulates the formation of fear-related midbrain circuits and defensive responses to visual threat. PLOS Biology 2023, 21: e3002386. PMID: 37983249, PMCID: PMC10695396, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002386.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscription factor Brn3bLoss of neuronsVisual threatLateral posterior nucleusMutant mice displayDefensive responsesDefensive freezing responsesPosterior nucleusTachykinin 2Mice displayMidbrain circuitVisual circuitsNeural circuitryBrn3bSpecific genetic componentsFreezing responseFear-associated behaviorsSocial isolationTac2Behavioral phenotypesMolecular mechanismsFunctional organizationGenetic componentResponseSimilar mechanism