Chromatic sensitivity and spatial organization of cat visual cortical cells: cone-rod interaction.

1. Colour sensitivity and spatial organization were determined for the dominant-eye receptive fields of thirty-eight simple or complex cells in cat primary visual vortex. Receptive fields were all from the cortical area associated with central vision. Each cell was investigated with threshold or suprathreshold monochromatic stimuli, under scotopic, low and high mesopic adaptation.2. The Purkinje shift, well defined for all units, was consistent with dual input from each of only two receptor mechanisms, viz. 556 nm cones and 500 nm rods. With change of adaptation level there was a systematic change in the peak sensitivity of spectral response curves to suprathreshold monochromatic stimuli, equated for quantum flux but of different wave-length. Equally with change of adaptation, the relative shift in threshold between wave-lengths selective for cone or rod activation was in close agreement with the change predicted from the Dartnall nomogram curves for visual pigments 556 and 507 respectively.3. For ganglion cells with concentric fields rod input derives from a spatially larger area than cone input. Rod field centre and rod field surround are substantially larger than the corresponding centre and surround for cones (Andrews & Hammond, 1970b). For cortical cells a conclusive comparable change could only be demonstrated for one simple unit. Its receptive field consisted of a horizontal excitatory stripe with asymmetric inhibitory flanks. When light-adapted the weaker, upper flank was functionally undetectable, indicative of purely rod input to this sideband, and the preference for upward movement was enhanced.4. No difference in receptive field configuration, or in spatial extent of input mediated by cones or by rods, was detected for any other unit. The discrepancy between retinal and cortical findings is discussed. It is inferred that cortical fields are compounded essentially by convergent input from geniculate cell field-centres.