Photonic crystal light collectors in fish retina improve vision in turbid water

Kreysing M, Pusch R, Haverkate D, Landsberger M, Engelmann J, Ruiter J, Mora-Ferrer C, Ulbricht E, Grosche J, Franze K, Streif S, Schumacher S, Makarov F, Kacza J, Guck J, Wolburg H, Bowmaker JK, Von Der Emde G, Schuster S, Wagner HJ, Reichenbach A, Francke M (2012)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2012

Journal

Science American Association for the Advancement of Science

Book Volume: 336

Pages Range: 1700-1703

Journal Issue: 6089

DOI: 10.1126/science.1218072

Abstract

Despite their diversity, vertebrate retinae are specialized to maximize either photon catch or visual acuity. Here, we describe a functional type that is optimized for neither purpose. In the retina of the elephantnose fish (Gnathonemus petersii), cone photoreceptors are grouped together within reflecting, photonic crystal-lined cups acting as macroreceptors, but rod photoreceptors are positioned behind these reflectors. This unusual arrangement matches rod and cone sensitivity for detecting color-mixed stimuli, whereas the photoreceptor grouping renders the fish insensitive to spatial noise; together, this enables more reliable flight reactions in the fish's dim and turbid habitat as compared with fish lacking this retinal specialization.

Authors with CRIS profile

Kristian Franze
Jochen Guck

Involved external institutions

Universität Leipzig DE Germany (DE) Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn DE Germany (DE) University of Cambridge GB United Kingdom (GB) Universität Bayreuth DE Germany (DE) Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE) Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg DE Germany (DE) Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IP Pavlov, SPbNTs RAS) / Институт физиологии им. И.П. Павлова RU Russian Federation (RU) University College London (UCL) GB United Kingdom (GB) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kreysing, M., Pusch, R., Haverkate, D., Landsberger, M., Engelmann, J., Ruiter, J.,... Francke, M. (2012). Photonic crystal light collectors in fish retina improve vision in turbid water. Science, 336(6089), 1700-1703. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1218072

MLA:

Kreysing, Moritz, et al. "Photonic crystal light collectors in fish retina improve vision in turbid water." Science 336.6089 (2012): 1700-1703.

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