THESIS
2019
29 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 30 cm
Abstract
Depth perception is an important issue in vision research. Intensive research on mammalian established binocular stereopsis theory, but biological identity of these disparity selective neurons and underlying circuitry mechanisms remained to be elucidated.
Zebrafish is an ideal model, since its brain is transparent, yielding unique advantage for in vivo live functional imaging. In order to study depth perception on zebrafish larvae, it’s necessary to validate, in the first place, whether larvae can perceive depth. According to preliminary data from free swimming larvae, the final strike (consumption of paramecia) is a candidate for depth-dependent behaviours. Larvae only perform a strike when paramecia are close enough to its head around 1mm. In the first part of my work I set out to re...[
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Depth perception is an important issue in vision research. Intensive research on mammalian established binocular stereopsis theory, but biological identity of these disparity selective neurons and underlying circuitry mechanisms remained to be elucidated.
Zebrafish is an ideal model, since its brain is transparent, yielding unique advantage for in vivo live functional imaging. In order to study depth perception on zebrafish larvae, it’s necessary to validate, in the first place, whether larvae can perceive depth. According to preliminary data from free swimming larvae, the final strike (consumption of paramecia) is a candidate for depth-dependent behaviours. Larvae only perform a strike when paramecia are close enough to its head around 1mm. In the first part of my work I set out to reproduce this striking behaviour in head-fixed larvae. Using paramecia as the stimulus, I found that larvae would do strike-like behaviours when paramecia is close enough: big jaw protrusion, fast swim bladder forward movement paired with eye convergence. I also developed python codes to quantitively isolate this striking behaviour from other behaviours based on swim bladder movement, tail movement, eye convergence and jaw protrusion.
In order to manipulate the visual stimulus an perform functional imaging, we need to be able to trigger the strike with an artificial stimulus. I developed a behaviour paradigm in which I can control the distance of the visual stimulus shown to the larvae while keeping other variables constant. This paradigm can not only efficiently induce prey capture but also the “strike” like behaviours according to my preliminary data.
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