Document Detail


Physical insight into light scattering by photoreceptor cell nuclei.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20680084     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A recent study showed that the rod photoreceptor cell nuclei in the retina of nocturnal and diurnal mammals differ considerably in architecture: the location of euchromatin and heterochromatin in the nucleus is interchanged. This inversion has significant implications for the refractive index distribution and the light scattering properties of the nucleus. Here, we extend previous two-dimensional analysis to three dimensions (3D) by using both a numerical finite-difference time-domain and an analytic Mie theory approach. We find that the specific arrangement of the chromatin phases in the nuclear core-shell models employed have little impact on the far-field scattering cross section. However, scattering in the near field, which is the relevant regime inside the retina, shows a significant difference between the two architectures. The "inverted" photoreceptor cell nuclei of nocturnal mammals act as collection lenses, with the lensing effect being much more pronounced in 3D than in two dimensions. This lensing helps to deliver light efficiently to the light-sensing outer segments of the rod photoreceptor cells and thereby improve night vision.
Authors:
Moritz Kreysing; Lars Boyde; Jochen Guck; Kevin J Chalut
Related Documents :
4029284 - Light scattering of whole excised human cataractous lenses. relationships between diffe...
6988444 - A twelve-channel automatic device for continuous recording of cell aggregation by measu...
17250544 - On the blue coloration of vertebrates.
18350034 - Angular distribution of light scattered from a sinusoidal grating.
2976874 - Quantification and calibration of flash stimuli in clinical research.
2917774 - The design and use of a microcomputerized real-time muscle fatigue monitor based on the...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Optics letters     Volume:  35     ISSN:  1539-4794     ISO Abbreviation:  Opt Lett     Publication Date:  2010 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-03     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7708433     Medline TA:  Opt Lett     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2639-41     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Improving weak-signal identification via predetection background suppression by a pixel-level, surfa...
Next Document:  Distributed external cloak without embedded antiobjects.