The primary visual pathway in humans is regulated accordina to long-term light exposure through the action of a nonclassical photopigment

摘要

Background: The mammalian eye shows marked adaptations to time of day. Some of these modifications are not acute responses to short-term light exposure but rely upon assessments of the photic environment made over several hours. In the past, all attempts at a mechanistic understanding have assumed that these adaptations originate with light detection by one or other of the classical photoreceptor cells (rods or cones). However, previous work has demonstrated that the mammalian eye contains non-rod, non-cone photoreceptors. This study aimed to determine whether such photoreceptors, contribute to retinal adaptation.