Functionally distinct GABAergic amacrine cell types regulate spatiotemporal encoding in the mouse retina

GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. GABAergic neuronal types play important roles in neural processing and the etiology of neurological disorders; however, there is no comprehensive understanding of their functional diversity. Here we perform two-photon imaging of GABA release in the inner plexiform layer of male and female mice retinae (8-16 weeks old) using the GABA sensor iGABASnFR2. By applying varied light stimuli to isolated retinae, we reveal over 40 different GABA-releasing neuron types. Individual types show layer-specific visual encoding within inner plexiform layer sublayers. Synaptic input and output sites are aligned along specific retinal orientations. The combination of cell type-specific spatial structure and unique release kinetics enables inhibitory neurons to sculpt excitatory signals in response to a wide range of behaviorally relevant motion structures. Our findings emphasize the importance of functional diversity and intricate specialization of GABAergic neurons in the central nervous system.