Amacrine

/əˈmækraɪn/ noun

Definition

A type of nerve cell in the retina of the eye that makes connections between other nerve cells without a long extending fiber.

Etymology

From Greek 'a-' (without) + 'makron' (long fiber/axon), literally 'without a long fiber.' Coined by anatomists studying the structure of the retina in the 1800s.

Kelly Says

Your eyes have about 30 different types of amacrine cells, each specializing in detecting different aspects of what you see—some spot motion, others handle edge detection, like having microscopic specialists working in the dark theater of your retina.

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