Direction selectivity

The story of direction selectivity (DS) in the retina began nearly 60years ago and has remained a highly active research area ever since. DS is arguably the most well-studied computation in the nervous system and therefore provides a fascinating timeline of how our scientific understanding has evolved. Throughout the history of DS research, technical advancements have routinely propelled the field to new levels of understanding. From the introduction of single-unit retinal recordings (1950s) to improved electrode construction and stimulus presentation (1960s), computerized data acquisition (1970s), the whole-mount retinal preparation and supporting media (1980s), the whole-cell patch clamp (1980s to 1990s), two-photon microscopy and Ca²⁺ imaging (1990s to 2000s), serial block-face electron microscopy (2000s to 2010s), and genetically encoded activity sensors (2010 to present), DS research has traversed most of the journey and has benefited from it all. The long trail of studies that emerged over the years and how they wandered, branched, and came together over time is an illustrative example of how the scientific process builds on itself toward understanding complex systems.