A comparative analysis of cone photoreceptor morphology in bowhead and beluga whales.
Title
A comparative analysis of cone photoreceptor morphology in bowhead and beluga whales.
Creator
Smith MA; Waugh DA; McBurney DL; George JC; Suydam RS; Thewissen JGM; Crish SD
Publisher
The Journal of Comparative Neurology
Date
2020
2020-12-30
Description
The cetacean visual system is a product of selection pressures favoring underwater vision, yet relatively little is known about it across taxa. Previous studies report several mutations in the opsin genetic sequence in cetaceans, suggesting the evolutionary complete or partial loss of retinal cone photoreceptor function in mysticete and odontocete lineages, respectively. Despite this, limited anatomical evidence suggests cone structures are partially maintained but with absent outer and inner segments in the bowhead retina. The functional consequence and anatomical distributions associated with these unique cone morphologies remain unclear. The current study further investigates the morphology and distribution of cone photoreceptors in the bowhead whale and beluga retina and evaluates the potential functional capacity of these cells' alternative to photoreception. Refined histological and advanced microscopic techniques revealed two additional cone morphologies in the bowhead and beluga retina that have not been previously described. Two proteins involved in magnetosensation were present in these cone structures suggesting the possibility for an alternative functional role in responding to changes in geomagnetic fields. These findings highlight a revised understanding of the unique evolution of cone and gross retinal anatomy in cetaceans, and provide prefatory evidence of potential functional reassignment of these cells.
Subject
cone photoreceptor; magnetosensation; mysticetes; odontocetes; retina
Identifier
Rights
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Format
journalArticle
URL Address
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ISSN
1096-9861 0021-9967
NEOMED College
NEOMED College of Pharmacy
NEOMED College of Medicine
NEOMED Department
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology
Update Year & Number
January 2021 List
Citation
Smith MA; Waugh DA; McBurney DL; George JC; Suydam RS; Thewissen JGM; Crish SD, “A comparative analysis of cone photoreceptor morphology in bowhead and beluga whales.,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed April 25, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/11499.