6- The Retina Flashcards
Where is the retina?
At the back of the eye
How many cells are in the retina?
100 million+
How does light reach photoreceptors in the retina?
Light passes through overlying tissue
What is the advantage of the inside-out arrangement in the retina?
Pigmented epithelium below photoreceptors absorbs light that passes entirely through the retina that minimises light scattering
What do photoreceptors do?
Convert electromagnetic radiation to neural signals
What are the two types of photoreceptors?
Cones and rods
What are the 3 main regions of photoreceptors?
Outer segment, inner segment, synaptic terminal
Where is there a higher ratio of rods to cones?
In the peripheral retina
Why are rods more sensitive to light?
There is a higher ratio of photoreceptors to ganglion cells
Where is the only place cones are found and why?
At the fovea as they have a high acuity and low sensitivity
Why is there more convergence in the rod system?
Increasing sensitivity while decreasing acuity
What is phototransduction?
The conversion of light to neural signals
What do rods and cones contain?
Photosensitive pigment
What does the absorption of photons of light by pigment generate?
Electrical signal
What does the G protein-linked receptor respond to?
Light rather than neurotransmitters
What happens to Na+ channels in the dark?
They partially open
What happens to Na+ channels in the light?
They close and rods hyperpolarise
How do the 3 different pigments in cones differ?
Wavelengths and spectral sensitivity
How do we perceive colour?
Through visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum
What is ability to perceive light dependent on?
The information we are given
What are the 3 different types of cones in humans?
Red, blue, green
Vision in cones
Photopic (daytime) and colour vision
Main location of cones
Fovea
Why do cones have high acuity?
1 cone to 1 ganglion cell
Vision in rods
Scotopic (night time) and noncolour
Main location of rods
Periphery
Why do rods have low acuity?
Many rods to 1 ganglion cell
What cells in the retina fire action potentials?
Ganglion cells
How do other cells in the retina respond to stimulation?
With graded changes in membrane potential
What is the direct pathway of ganglion cells to fire action potentials?
Photoreceptor –> bipolar cell –> ganglion cell
What happens after light hyperpolarises photoreceptor cells?
They stop releasing glutamate to bipolar cells, which depolarise and release neurotransmitters to ganglion cells
How is the visual field mapped?
Point-to-point on the retina
What lateral connections in the retina modify responses?
Connections of horizontal and amacrine cells