Comments on: Melanopsin Ganglion Cells: A Bit of Fly in the Mammalian Eye http://webvision.med.utah.edu The Organization of the Retina and Visual System Wed, 15 May 2013 17:07:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 By: LIGHT- a Friend or Foe? | designospire http://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/part-ii-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-retina/elanopsin-ganglion-cells-a-bit-of-fly-in-the-mammalian-eye/#comment-423960 LIGHT- a Friend or Foe? | designospire Sun, 10 Mar 2013 11:19:17 +0000 http://155.100.105.205/?page_id=112#comment-423960 [...] (2011) Webvision: The Organization of the Retina and Visual System Available at: http://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/part-ii-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-retina/elanopsin-ganglion-c… Accessed: 4 Feb [...]

]]> By: Sky Blue « Pointers Gone Wild http://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/part-ii-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-retina/elanopsin-ganglion-cells-a-bit-of-fly-in-the-mammalian-eye/#comment-260565 Sky Blue « Pointers Gone Wild Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:28:24 +0000 http://155.100.105.205/?page_id=112#comment-260565 [...] of photoreceptors: light sensitive ganglion cells containing the pigment melanopsin. This was only recently discovered (~2000). These melanopsin-containing cells comprise approximately 2% of ganglion cells and are [...]

]]> By: Interesting Review: Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells – Webvision http://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/part-ii-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-retina/elanopsin-ganglion-cells-a-bit-of-fly-in-the-mammalian-eye/#comment-230540 Interesting Review: Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells – Webvision Sun, 25 Nov 2012 18:59:52 +0000 http://155.100.105.205/?page_id=112#comment-230540 [...] had a chapter in Webvision on melanopsin ganglion cells by Dustin Graham for some time, but this review by Gary Pickard and Particia Sollars also does a pretty nice job of [...]

]]> By: Burt Smith http://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/part-ii-anatomy-and-physiology-of-the-retina/elanopsin-ganglion-cells-a-bit-of-fly-in-the-mammalian-eye/#comment-29006 Burt Smith Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:52:29 +0000 http://155.100.105.205/?page_id=112#comment-29006 Aloha Dustin Graham:

Humans have been wandering over the globe for thousands of years. Experienced hunters seldom get lost. Some humans always seem to know where north is. Wild and semi-wild animals can usually find their way even in blinding conditions. Ancient Polynesians are said to have been able to accurately sail to distant islands, ostensibly by reading ocean swells – perhaps. Or they, the very few, select navigators, could have been using an electro magnetic sense. Grazing, free ranging, cattle typically orient themselves in a magnetic north/south direction. In fact a great many animals seem to know where north is most of the time.

Two recent articles have caught my attention, one in the Jan/Feb, 2012 issue of Discover and the other in the Jan, 2012 issue of Sci. Am. The Sci. Am. Article discusses magnetism in animals and mentions that cryptochrome is involved. The Discover article mentions melanopsin and how, as it is found in certain ganglion in the eyes, it enables animals to set their biological clocks, even if rods and cones are silenced – blue light seems to be the key. However, the biological signals are disrupted by power lines. The Sci. Am. Article pretty much deals with cryptochrome, but does mention the possibility that humans might have some magnetic sense. I’ve not noted anything in my organization’s publication, Science – there may be some as I haven’t done a detailed search.
I did a brief search of other articles and found a couple; 2008, Nature, v.454(7207):1014-1018: 2004, PNAS, v. 101(39):14294-14299; and a sort of update (2011) on cryptochrome in the Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, U of Ill. At Urbana-Champaign web page.

Why am I sending this to you? No particular reason other than in my searches I came across your article on Web vision about a “Bit of fly in the mammalian eye” and enjoyed it, at least the parts I understood. I read a lot of science and if I have a scientific skill it appears to be able to see a common thread from different fields. So perhaps here.

If the above is common knowledge, I apologize for taking up your time.

Burt Smith, PhD (retired)
okburt75@yahoo.com

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