Canine retina has a primate fovea-like bouquet of cone photoreceptors which is affected by inherited macular degenerations.

ABSTRACT: Retinal areas of specialization confer vertebrates with the ability to scrutinize corresponding regions of their visual field with greater resolution. A highly specialized area found in haplorhine primates (including humans) is the fovea centralis which is defined by a high density of cone photoreceptors connected individually to interneurons, and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that are offset to form a pit lacking retinal capillaries and inner retinal neurons at its center. In dogs, a local increase in RGC density is found in a topographically comparable retinal area defined as the area centralis. While the canine retina is devoid of a foveal pit, no detailed examination of the photoreceptors within the area centralis has been reported. Using both in vivo and ex vivo imaging, we identified

SUBMITTER: Beltran WA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3944008 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature