TY - JOUR

T1 - Magnetoreceptory Function of European Robin Retina: Electrophysiological and Morphological Non-Homogeneity

AU - Rotov , Alexander Yu.

AU - Goriachenkov, Arsenii A.

AU - Cherbunin , Roman V.

AU - Firsov , Michael L.

AU - Chernetsov, Nikita

AU - Astakhova , Luba A.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.

PY - 2022/10

Y1 - 2022/10

N2 - The avian magnetic compass allows orientation during migration and is shown to function properly under short-wavelength but not long-wavelength visible light. Therefore, the magnetoreceptive system is assumed to be light- and wavelength-dependent and localized in the retina of the eye. Putative candidates for the role of primary magnetosensory molecules are the cryptochromes that are known to be expressed in the avian retina and must be able to interact with phototransduction proteins. Previously, we reported that in migratory birds change in magnetic field direction induces significant effects on electroretinogram amplitude in response to blue flashes, and such an effect was observed only in the nasal quadrant of the retina. Here, we report new electroretinographic, microscopic and microspectrophotometric data on European robins, confirming the magnetosensitivity of the retinal nasal quadrant after applying the background illumination. We hypothesized that magnetoreceptive distinction of this region may be related to its morphology and analyzed the retinal distribution and optical properties of oil droplets, the filtering structures within cones. We found that the nasal quadrant contains double cones with the most intensely colorized oil droplets compared to the rest of the retina, which may be related to its magnetosensory function.

AB - The avian magnetic compass allows orientation during migration and is shown to function properly under short-wavelength but not long-wavelength visible light. Therefore, the magnetoreceptive system is assumed to be light- and wavelength-dependent and localized in the retina of the eye. Putative candidates for the role of primary magnetosensory molecules are the cryptochromes that are known to be expressed in the avian retina and must be able to interact with phototransduction proteins. Previously, we reported that in migratory birds change in magnetic field direction induces significant effects on electroretinogram amplitude in response to blue flashes, and such an effect was observed only in the nasal quadrant of the retina. Here, we report new electroretinographic, microscopic and microspectrophotometric data on European robins, confirming the magnetosensitivity of the retinal nasal quadrant after applying the background illumination. We hypothesized that magnetoreceptive distinction of this region may be related to its morphology and analyzed the retinal distribution and optical properties of oil droplets, the filtering structures within cones. We found that the nasal quadrant contains double cones with the most intensely colorized oil droplets compared to the rest of the retina, which may be related to its magnetosensory function.

KW - retina

KW - birds

KW - magnetic compass

KW - magnetoreception

KW - cones

KW - Oil droplets

KW - oil droplets

KW - Animal Migration/physiology

KW - Birds

KW - Animals

KW - Cryptochromes/metabolism

KW - Magnetic Fields

KW - Retina/metabolism

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/e7e47d1b-6a77-3b95-a51f-ad98453f73c9/

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139797671&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/cells11193056

DO - 10.3390/cells11193056

M3 - Article

C2 - 36231018

VL - 11

JO - Cells

JF - Cells

SN - 2073-4409

IS - 19

M1 - 3056

ER -