retinal rod
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A photoreceptor cell in the retina: A retinal rod is a specialized type of neuron located in the retina of the eye. It is responsible for vision in low-light conditions (scotopic vision) and is highly sensitive to dim light but does not mediate color vision.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The density of retinal rods is highest in the peripheral regions of the human retina.
- In very dim light, our vision relies primarily on retinal rods rather than cones.
Advanced Usage
- "Rod-dominated vision": Refers to the type of vision experienced in near-darkness, where retinal rods are the primary active photoreceptors.
- When you first enter a dark room, you experience rod-dominated vision until your eyes adjust.
Variants and Related Words
- Rod cell: A common synonym for retinal rod.
- Photoreceptor: The general category of light-sensitive cells, which includes both rods and cones.
- Cone cell or Retinal cone: The other main type of photoreceptor, responsible for color vision and function best in bright light.
Synonyms
- Rod photoreceptor
- Scotopic photoreceptor
Related Phrases and Compounds
- Rod outer segment: The part of the retinal rod that contains the light-absorbing pigment rhodopsin.
- Rod pathway: The neural circuit in the retina that processes signals from rod cells.
Noun
- a visual receptor cell that is sensitive to dim light