Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Evolving eyes.

Russell D Fernald1

  • 1Biological Sciences and Neuroscience Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. rfernald@stanford.edu

The International Journal of Developmental Biology
|November 24, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Animal eyes, despite diverse structures, likely evolved multiple times, converging due to physics and conserved opsin proteins. Conserved genes involved in eye formation may have been repeatedly recruited during evolution.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

DNA methylation of the endothelin receptor B makes blue fish yellow.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Control of testes mass by androgen receptor paralogs in a cichlid.

Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology·2021
Same author

Modular genetic control of social status in a cichlid fish.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2020
Same author

The Value of Comparative Animal Research: Krogh's Principle Facilitates Scientific Discoveries.

Policy insights from the behavioral and brain sciences·2020
Same author

Behavioral evolution contributes to hindbrain diversification among Lake Malawi cichlid fish.

Scientific reports·2019
Same author

Genome-wide effects of social status on DNA methylation in the brain of a cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni.

BMC genomics·2019
Same journal

Spatiotemporal dynamics of lineage-specific epithelial maturation in the developing mouse stomach.

The International journal of developmental biology·2026
Same journal

Dynein axonemal assembly factors (<i>dnaaf</i>) 5 and 9 are expressed in ciliated organs of zebrafish embryos.

The International journal of developmental biology·2026
Same journal

A chloroquine sensitivity gradient induces tissue regeneration and maintenance phenotypes in planarians.

The International journal of developmental biology·2026
Same journal

Sialylated glycoproteins and sialyltransferases involved in mesoderm-derived organ formation during embryogenesis.

The International journal of developmental biology·2026
Same journal

The <i>Hydra</i> FGF family - dispersed across the genome and expressed locally.

The International journal of developmental biology·2026
Same journal

Correction: Inhibition of COX2 impairs angiogenesis and causes vascular defects in developing zebrafish embryos.

The International journal of developmental biology·2025
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Animal eyes exhibit remarkable diversity in optical systems, constrained by physical laws.
  • Despite structural differences, all animal eyes utilize opsin proteins for photon detection.
  • Photoreceptors, though differing in origin and structure, express opsin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the evolutionary origins of animal eyes.
  • To reconcile the debate on whether eyes evolved once or multiple times.
  • To investigate the role of conserved genes in convergent eye evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of optical systems across diverse animal species.
  • Molecular investigation of opsin usage and photoreceptor types.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of conserved gene families involved in eye development.

    • Main Results:

    • Eight distinct optical systems exist, shaped by physical constraints on light collection.
    • Opsin protein is a conserved molecular component for light detection across disparate eyes.
    • Focusing mechanisms involve diverse, unrelated proteins, indicating convergent evolution.
    • Conserved gene families are implicated in eye formation across different eye structures.

    Conclusions:

    • The convergence of physical laws and molecular conservation (opsin) suggests multiple independent eye origins.
    • Conserved genes and developmental programs are likely recruited repeatedly during the evolution of new eyes.
    • Detailed comparison of developmental pathways offers insights into the multiple origins of complex organs like the eye.