Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Retina

The Retina

The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.

Anatomy of the Eyeball

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Evidence that disruption of Discoidin domain receptor 2 contributes to palate malformations through effects on the extracellular matrix.

Human molecular genetics·2026

Same author

A heterogeneous population code at the first synapse of vision.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Haploinsufficiency of <i>ABL1</i> is associated with dominant isolated omphalocele.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2025

Same author

Quantifying the link between retinal performance and the optomotor response.

Current biology : CB·2025

Same author

<i>TFAP2E</i> is implicated in central nervous system, orofacial and maxillofacial anomalies.

Journal of medical genetics·2024

Same author

Role of ZFHX4 in orofacial clefting based on human genetic data and zebrafish models.

European journal of human genetics : EJHG·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina

Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina

Published on: January 16, 2024

Retinal circuits: tracing new connections.

Benjamin Odermatt¹, Leon Lagnado

¹MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, UK.

Current Biology : CB

|August 10, 2007

Summary

Newly discovered retinal neurons regulate the body clock by detecting light. A recent study utilized viruses to map the neural connections of these intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs).

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Ophthalmology
Chronobiology

Background:

The retina contains specialized photoreceptor cells crucial for vision and non-visual light perception.
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are a recently identified class of neurons that regulate circadian rhythms.
Understanding the neural circuitry of ipRGCs is essential for comprehending how light synchronizes the body's internal clock with the environment.

Discussion:

This study employed viral tracing techniques to investigate the neural projections of ipRGCs.
The findings elucidate the specific pathways through which ipRGCs relay light information to central circadian control centers.
Mapping these connections provides critical insights into the neural basis of light-mediated circadian entrainment.

Key Insights:

More Related Videos

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Published on: May 3, 2014

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells

Published on: January 26, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina

Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina

Published on: January 16, 2024

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Retrograde Labeling of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Adult Zebrafish with Fluorescent Dyes

Published on: May 3, 2014

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells

Published on: January 26, 2011

A novel study successfully mapped the neural connections of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs).
Viral tracing revealed the intricate network through which ipRGCs influence the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the master circadian clock.
This research clarifies the anatomical substrates underlying the retina's role in synchronizing the body clock to the solar cycle.

Outlook:

Further research can explore how disruptions in ipRGC circuitry contribute to circadian rhythm disorders.
Therapeutic strategies targeting ipRGCs could be developed for conditions like insomnia and jet lag.
This work lays the foundation for future investigations into the functional roles of specific ipRGC subtypes in non-visual visual functions.