What is the main difference between "on" and "off" region receptive fields?
A)signal processing at the photoreceptor
B)the type of neurotransmitter released by the photoreceptor
C)the nature of the response of the bipolar cell to glutamate
D)the presence of horizontal cells

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The main difference between "on" and "off" region receptive fields is that they exhibit opposite responses to the neurotransmitter glutamate released by photoreceptor cells. In "on" regions, the photoreceptor releases glutamate when light is present, which hyperpolarizes the bipolar cell and decreases its activity. In contrast, in "off" regions, the photoreceptor releases less glutamate or stops releasing it altogether in response to light, which depolarizes the bipolar cell and increases its activity. This difference is due to the presence of different types of glutamate receptors on the bipolar cells of "on" and "off" regions.

What Is the Main Difference Between "On" and "Off" Region