| First Author | Panda S | Year | 2003 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 301 |
| Issue | 5632 | Pages | 525-7 |
| PubMed ID | 12829787 | Mgi Jnum | J:165769 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4838399 | Doi | 10.1126/science.1086179 |
| Citation | Panda S, et al. (2003) Melanopsin is required for non-image-forming photic responses in blind mice. Science 301(5632):525-7 |
| abstractText | Although mice lacking rod and cone photoreceptors are blind, they retain many eye-mediated responses to light, possibly through photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. These cells express melanopsin, a photopigment that confers this photosensitivity. Mice lacking melanopsin still retain nonvisual photoreception, suggesting that rods and cones could operate in this capacity. We observed that mice with both outer-retinal degeneration and a deficiency in melanopsin exhibited complete loss of photoentrainment of the circadian oscillator, pupillary light responses, photic suppression of arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase transcript, and acute suppression of locomotor activity by light. This indicates the importance of both nonvisual and classical visual photoreceptor systems for nonvisual photic responses in mammals. |
