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Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

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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.
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Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

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The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
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Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

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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,...
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Visual System01:26

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Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
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Color Vision01:24

Color Vision

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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.
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Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

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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...
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A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq
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The evolution of vision.

Walter J Gehring1

  • 1Growth and Development, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Developmental Biology
|June 7, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The evolution of vision traces back to early light-sensing proteins in cyanobacteria and progressed to complex animal eyes. Shared genetic tools suggest a single origin for animal eyes, which then diversified.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Light detection is crucial for life, enabling functions like circadian rhythms, phototropism, and phototaxis.
  • Photosensory proteins serve as molecular clocks and are key to understanding evolutionary relationships.
  • The development of animal vision spans from simple light sensitivity to complex image formation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolutionary history of vision from its earliest forms to complex animal eyes.
  • To explore the genetic and molecular underpinnings of eye evolution.
  • To determine the origin and diversification patterns of animal eye types.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstruction of molecular phylogenetic trees using photosensory proteins.
  • Analysis of evolutionary developmental genetic experiments.
  • Comparative genomics of eye development in bilaterian animals.

Main Results:

  • Vision's origins can be traced to cyanobacteria, with early light detection capabilities.
  • The evolution of animal eyes from a prototype to complex structures is supported by genetic evidence.
  • All bilaterian animals share conserved genes like Pax6, indicating a common genetic toolkit for eye development.

Conclusions:

  • The diverse array of animal eye types likely originated from a single, monophyletic ancestor.
  • Subsequent diversification of eye structures occurred through various evolutionary mechanisms including divergent, parallel, and convergent evolution.