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Related Concept Videos

The Retina01:32

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.
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

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...
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

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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,...
Color Vision01:24

Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.
Vision01:24

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
Unrenewable Cells00:50

Unrenewable Cells

In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of their outer...

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S cones: Evolution, retinal distribution, development, and spectral sensitivity.

David M Hunt1, Leo Peichl2

  • 1School of Animal Biology, Lions Eye Institute and UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Visual Neuroscience
|July 31, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Short-wavelength sensitive 1 (SWS1) cones are crucial for color vision in vertebrates. Their spectral sensitivity has evolved significantly, with many species shifting from ultraviolet to violet sensitivity.

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Area of Science:

  • * Comparative genomics and evolutionary biology
  • * Retinal development and photoreceptor biology
  • * Visual pigment evolution and spectral tuning

Background:

  • * Short-wavelength sensitive 1 (SWS1) cones are a minority photoreceptor type in vertebrate retinas, primarily involved in color vision.
  • * S cone distribution varies across mammalian retinas, with some species exhibiting coexpression of SWS1 and long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) pigments.
  • * SWS1 opsin expression typically precedes LWS opsin during retinal development, suggesting a potential default pathway for cone differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the evolutionary history and spectral tuning of SWS1 pigments across vertebrate classes.
  • * To understand the developmental pathways and distribution patterns of S cones in different species.
  • * To identify the genetic basis for spectral shifts in SWS1 pigments during vertebrate evolution.

Main Methods:

  • * Comparative analysis of SWS1 opsin genes and visual pigment characteristics across diverse vertebrate taxa.
  • * Review of existing literature on retinal development, photoreceptor distribution, and genetic studies.
  • * Examination of spectral sensitivity data from agnathans, teleost fishes, and other vertebrate groups.

Main Results:

  • * S cones are present in most vertebrate classes, with notable exceptions like cartilaginous fishes and many aquatic mammals.
  • * The ancestral vertebrate SWS1 pigment was UV-sensitive (~360 nm), but spectral sensitivity has shifted to the violet range (>380 nm) multiple times.
  • * These spectral shifts are attributed to single or few amino acid substitutions in tuning-relevant residues, with avian lineages reinventing UV sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • * S cone presence and spectral sensitivity are highly variable across vertebrates, reflecting adaptation to diverse environments and visual ecology.
  • * The evolution of SWS1 pigments demonstrates significant plasticity, with recurrent shifts towards violet sensitivity and rare reversals to UV sensitivity.
  • * Understanding S cone evolution provides insights into visual system diversity and the genetic mechanisms underlying pigment tuning.