Retina

the retina consists of 3 nuclear layers (described along the light path from front to back) which contain:
1. INNER - the ganglion cell bodies whose axons form the optic nerve
2. MIDDLE - bipolar cell bodies
3. OUTER - the photoreceptors (rods and cones)
in between the primary cell layers are two plexiform layers (called the inner and outer synaptic layer), which contain the amacrine and horizontal cells, respectively
specialized glial cells (Muller cells) span the entire retina

Retina structure

sensory information passes from the rods and cones --- which perform the transduction --- to the bipolar cells, which also generate graded potentials
- bipolar cells receive input from rods or cones (but not both)
bipolar cells subsequently stimulate ganglion cells, which generate action potentials
horizontal and amacrine cells modulate activity in the bipolar and ganglion cells; in particular, they produce lateral inhibition, and they contribute to the complexity of ganglion cell receptive field properties

2013 Vision