Optics of cone photoreceptors in the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus).

ABSTRACT: Vision is the primary sensory modality of birds, and its importance is evident in the sophistication of their visual systems. Coloured oil droplets in the cone photoreceptors represent an adaptation in the avian retina, acting as long-pass colour filters. However, we currently lack understanding of how the optical properties and morphology of component structures (e.g. oil droplet, mitochondrial ellipsoid and outer segment) of the cone photoreceptor influence the transmission of light into the outer segment and the ultimate effect they have on receptor sensitivity. In this study, we use data from microspectrophotometry, digital holographic microscopy and electron microscopy to inform electromagnetic models of avian cone photoreceptors to quantitatively investigate the integrated optical fu

SUBMITTER: Wilby D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4614498 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature