Summary
This study examines the molecular basis of retinal cell types in sea lamprey, finding that intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) may have divergent evolutionary origins between jawless and jawed vertebrates. While primarily foundational science, these findings deepen understanding of how non-visual light detection systems evolved, which informs the biological basis of circadian photoentrainment.
Key Findings
- No molecular match was identified for ipRGCs between lamprey and chicken or mouse retinal ganglion cells, suggesting ipRGCs have divergent evolutionary origins between jawless (lamprey) and jawed vertebrates.
- The study provides evidence that the retinal cell types underlying non-image-forming light detection — critical to circadian photoentrainment — may not share a single common ancestral origin across all vertebrates.
Categories
The Science of Light: Investigates the evolutionary origins of ipRGCs and photoreceptor cell types, with implications for understanding melanopsin-based phototransduction across vertebrate lineages.
Author(s)
J Wang, L Zhang, M Cavallini, A Pahlevan, J Sun
Publication Year
2023
Related Publications
The Science of Light
- Phototransduction by retinal ganglion cells that set the circadian clock
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- The mammalian circadian timing system: organization and coordination of central and peripheral clocks
- Diminished pupillary light reflex at high irradiances in melanopsin-knockout mice
- Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice