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Retinal Photoreception

Meaning

Retinal Photoreception is the specialized neurobiological process executed by the photoreceptor cells and intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGCs) within the eye’s retina. This process involves the capture of light photons and their subsequent conversion into neural signals that are transmitted to the brain for both conscious visual perception and the essential, subconscious regulation of the body’s internal clock. This reception of light is the foundational environmental input for the entrainment of circadian rhythms and the appropriate modulation of the sleep-wake cycle.