Abstract
Only slightly over a decade ago, the rods and cones in the outer retina were thought to be the exclusive photoreceptors in mammals. Since then, the discovery of an additional photopigment melanopsin (a G protein-coupled receptor, GPCR) expressed in a small subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) has expanded upon the conventional view of light detection and information flow in the retina. In this chapter, we will highlight our current understanding of the structure and function of melanopsin, the cell biology and physiology of ipRGCs, how ipRGCs are integrated into the retinal circuitry, and the role of ipRGCs in visual behaviors.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | G Protein Signaling Mechanisms in the Retina |
Publisher | Springer New York |
Pages | 173-195 |
Number of pages | 23 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781493912186 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781493912179 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
- Neuroscience(all)