Introduction to the Retina

Abstract

Here, we briefly introduce and survey the retina including terminology and naming conventions. We consider anatomical structures of the retina including gross and microscopic anatomy of the fundus, layers of the retina, retinal cell types, and neuronal wiring of the retina. We discuss briefly biochemistry of the visual transduction cascade and the Vitamin A cycle. We introduce physiological processes including outer segment disk shedding and origins of electrical signals detected by the electroretinogram. This sets the stage for a more in-depth look at specific aspects of retinal structure and function in subsequent sections in this chapter.

Keywords: Development; Glaucoma; Mouse models; Retina; Retinoids; Visual cycle; Zebrafish.