What is it about?
In mammals, the retina is the only nervous tissue able to detect light using three types of photoreceptors; rods, cones, and melanopsin cells. Many functions of the retina are rhythmic and regulated by a circadian clock, an intrinsic property of most tissues. This circadian clock can synchronize the retina function to the external ambient light cycle. Our study aimed at identifying which photoreceptor(s) are involved in the regulation of the retinal circadian clock.
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Photo by Harpreet Singh on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Our study concluded that only rod photoreceptors are required for the adaptation of the retinal clock to visible light. These photoreceptors' classical function is to detect very dim light and they were thought to be inactive at higher intensities of light but our study showed that they still regulate the retinal clock in a dose-dependent manner.
Perspectives
In mammals, the retina is the only photosensitive tissue that can transmit light information from the outside environment to the brain, participating in vision as well as other functions such as sleep regulation, hormone synthesis, etc. Understanding how the retina's own circadian clock is regulated by light is crucial to determine the consequences of exposure to inadequate quality of light or at the wrong time, during shift work or trans-meridian travels.
Hugo Calligaro
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Rods contribute to the light-induced phase shift of the retinal clock in mammals, PLoS Biology, March 2019, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006211.
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