Abstract
Presentation Description :
The mammalian retina contains three types of photoreceptors: the classical photoreceptors, rods and cones, and the ganglion cell photoreceptors, melanopsin-containing, intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, known as ipRGCs. Rods and cones detect light for dim and bright/color vision, respectively, whereas, ipRGCs primarily detect light to influence several non-image forming visual functions, which include circadian photoentrainment, sleep and the pupillary light reflex. ipRGCs are special in that they are both photoreceptors and ganglion cells, which means they can detect light on their own, but they also act as relay for rod/cone input to the brain. In my presentation, I will provide an overview of what is known about the individual contribution of each retinal photoreceptors to a variety of light mediated behaviors, which include circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. I will provide a distinction for the role of ipRGCs as photoreceptors versus rod/cone relay cells. In the process showing that the intrinsic phototransduction pathway and the rod/cone input play complementary roles to expand light detection capabilities across intensity and time.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.