Abstract
Vertebrate rod photoreceptors evolved the astonishing ability to respond reliably to single photons. In parallel, the proximate neurons of the visual system evolved the ability to reliably encode information from a few single-photon responses (SPRs) as arising from the presence of an object of interest in the visual environment. These amazing capabilities were first inferred from measurements of human visual threshold by Hecht et al. (1942), whose paper has since been cited over 1,000 times. Subsequent research, in part inspired by Hecht et al.'s discovery, has directly measured rod SPRs, characterized the molecular mechanism responsible for their generation, and uncovered much about the specializations in the retina that enable the reliable transmission of SPRs in the teeth of intrinsic neuronal noise.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 383-388 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of General Physiology |
| Volume | 150 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2018 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
Cite this
The discovery of the ability of rod photoreceptors to signal single photons. / Pugh Jr, Edward N.
In: Journal of General Physiology, Vol. 150, No. 3, 01.03.2018, p. 383-388.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The discovery of the ability of rod photoreceptors to signal single photons
AU - Pugh Jr, Edward N
PY - 2018/3/1
Y1 - 2018/3/1
N2 - Vertebrate rod photoreceptors evolved the astonishing ability to respond reliably to single photons. In parallel, the proximate neurons of the visual system evolved the ability to reliably encode information from a few single-photon responses (SPRs) as arising from the presence of an object of interest in the visual environment. These amazing capabilities were first inferred from measurements of human visual threshold by Hecht et al. (1942), whose paper has since been cited over 1,000 times. Subsequent research, in part inspired by Hecht et al.'s discovery, has directly measured rod SPRs, characterized the molecular mechanism responsible for their generation, and uncovered much about the specializations in the retina that enable the reliable transmission of SPRs in the teeth of intrinsic neuronal noise.
AB - Vertebrate rod photoreceptors evolved the astonishing ability to respond reliably to single photons. In parallel, the proximate neurons of the visual system evolved the ability to reliably encode information from a few single-photon responses (SPRs) as arising from the presence of an object of interest in the visual environment. These amazing capabilities were first inferred from measurements of human visual threshold by Hecht et al. (1942), whose paper has since been cited over 1,000 times. Subsequent research, in part inspired by Hecht et al.'s discovery, has directly measured rod SPRs, characterized the molecular mechanism responsible for their generation, and uncovered much about the specializations in the retina that enable the reliable transmission of SPRs in the teeth of intrinsic neuronal noise.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85043366607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1085/jgp.201711970
DO - 10.1085/jgp.201711970
M3 - Article
C2 - 29467164
AN - SCOPUS:85043366607
VL - 150
SP - 383
EP - 388
JO - Journal of General Physiology
JF - Journal of General Physiology
SN - 0022-1295
IS - 3
ER -