Amacrine

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Amacrine Cell

Amacrine cells (/əˈmæk.rɪn/; from Greek 'ama', meaning 'privative' and 'krinein', meaning 'to separate') are interneurons in the retina. They play a crucial role in the visual pathway, contributing to the processing of visual information before it is transmitted to the brain.

Function

Amacrine cells are responsible for 70% of input to retinal ganglion cells, with the remaining input coming from bipolar cells. They are involved in complex processing and integration of visual information, including contrast sensitivity and direction selectivity.

Types

There are about 30 different types of amacrine cells, each with unique functions and morphology. Some of the most well-known types include the starburst amacrine cell, which is involved in direction selectivity, and the AII amacrine cell, which plays a key role in night vision.

Structure

Amacrine cells are typically characterized by their lack of axons. They have a cell body from which dendrites radiate. These dendrites can make synapses with either bipolar cells or ganglion cells, allowing for a wide range of interactions.

Clinical Significance

Changes in amacrine cells have been associated with several eye diseases, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Understanding the function and structure of these cells can therefore contribute to the development of treatments for these conditions.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski