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| Helga
E. Kolb, Ph.D.
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| Goal: To
understand the neurocircuitry underlying the image processing that takes
place in the human retina |
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Drawing
of the neural circuitry of the cat retina as a summary of the research
conducted by Kolb and Nelson over the years. Cones contact two basic types
of cone bipolar cell (orange and yellow), and rods contact one type of rod
bipolar cell (black). Two varieties of horizontal cells, A and B (purple)
exist in cat retina. The five types of amacrine cells (pink, violet, light
and dark green, and blue cells) shown are examples of amacrines that we
understand the circuitry of so far. Interplexiform cells extend procsses
to both plexiform layers (black/white);
the major ganglion cell types are alpha and beta types (gray and
stippled), which occur as ON-center and OFF-center pairs throughout the
retina.
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Many of Dr. Kolb’s important contributions to
retinal research have been with her long-time collaborators, Dr. Ralph
Nelson and Dr. Nicolas Cuenca. Dr.
Kolb has authored circa 120 papers since 1962 on the neurocircuitry of the
vertebrate retina. Her present emphasis is on writing papers, editing
books, and creating an electronic book on the organization of the
vertebrate retina and visual system. The electronic book can be found on
the Internet at http://www.webvision.med.utah.edu
In 1993 she was honored with the Proctor Medal
award by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO),
and in 2000 with the Von Sallmann award in recognition of her contribution
to vision research during the course of her career. Dr. Kolb is also an
active member of the committee for the Helen Keller Prize in
Ophthalmology.
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| Ongoing Collaborations |
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N. Cuenca,
University Alicante, Spain - Calcium binding proteins and amino acid
transmitters in the vertebrate retina
W. Eldred,
Boston University, Massachusetts -
Nitric oxide and cGMP in
retinal circuitry of the turtle retina
D. Marshak,
University of Texas Medical Center - Analysis of amacrine inputs to
midget ganglion cells in the rhesus monkey
R. Aramant,
Kentucky Lions Eye Research Institute, USA - Transplantation of
retina to retina
M.
Pu - Neurobiology and
Anatomy, University of Utah - Retinal circuitries for entrainment of
circadian rhythms
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| Selected Publications |
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Cuenca
N, Lopez S, Howes K, Kolb H (1998). The localization of
guanylyl cyclase-activating proteins
in the mammalian retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
39:1243-50.
Haverkamp
S, Kolb H, Cuenca N (1999). Endothelial nitric oxide synthase
(eNOS) is localized to Muller cells in all vertebrate retinas. Vision
Res 39: 2299-303.
Ahnelt
PK, Kolb H (2000). The mammalian photo-receptor
mosaic-adaptive design. Prog Retin Eye Res 19: 711-77.
Review.
Haverkamp
S, Kolb H, Cuenca N (2000). Morpho-logical and neurochemical
diversity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase-positive amacrine cells
in the turtle retina. Cell Tissue Res 302: 11-9. |
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