Rod+Cells+-+KH

= = =Introduction= toc Rod cells are useful in many ways. They’re very tiny so you probably don’t even know where they are or what the do. When you wake up at night wanting water, your rod cells work so you can see in the dim light. They’re helpful when you’re looking at the moon and stars. But how do they do this?

=Functions of Rod Cells=

You’re driving at night, you hear a bang in the engine and you crash. You wake up the headlights are out. Your eyes adjusts to the dark light. You notice you hit a tree. The ability to see the tree was by the function of the rod cells. There are about 120 million rod cells in your eyes. Rod cells are the cells in your retina and helps you see in dim light. The retina takes a picture of the image and depending on the light the rod cells or cones cells work. Then it transfers to the optic nerve and brings it to the brain. The rod cells strength is to see in dim light. The cell helps by enabling you to see black and grey figures in almost to no light. The cell helps by enabling you to see black and grey figures in almost to no light. The rod cell does this so you can see dim lights. Cone cells only let you see brighter colors. They work as a team. Rod cells are long and narrow. They’re this shape because they transfer the image to the optic nerve.

=Structures of Rod Cells=

The eye is like a keyboard without the keys without the keys you can’t type, without one of the eye cells you wouldn’t be able to see. The pigment in the rods is called rhodopsin or visual purple. It enables the eye to see shades of gray and to see in dim light. There are about 120 million rod cells in your eyes. The outer layer of the rod cell is made up of photosensitive chemicals. When light shines on the retina, it is broken into proteins called retinal and opsin in a process called bleaching. This stimulates an action potential that is detected in the brain. Rods have 4 to 5 times the normal cell mitochondria because they need lots of energy to receive and send the electrical impulses it receives.

= Rod and Cone Cells =

The cones work together like batteries and a phone. The ability to see is by the cells working together. They work together in the retina. However, the rods are in the peripheral vision and the cones are directly aimed at the objects. Peripheral vision is being able to see from the sides of your eyes. When it’s bright cone cells work and when it’s dark rod cells work. Without one of the cells you would have bad vision for one of the light source. Rod cells are slender rod shaped cells. The thin long shape of the rod cells help so they can give the image to the optic nerve.

=Diseases that Affect Rod Cells=

Retinitis Pigmentosa affects the retina. The most common form of RPis gradual breaking down of rod cells. As the more rod cells get broken down patients experience night vision loss. As the disease goes along patients lose their peripheral vision (tunnel vision). Rm can not be caused by an injury it is caused by an infection, or any other environmental factors. There is no cure for RM but, there's a few treatments such as light avoidance. Cone-rod dystrophy is a group of related eye disorders which causes vision loss. This disease affects the retina. The first symptom of this is decreasing of sharpness, which normally happens in childhood. This is normally followed by blind spots in the center of the visual field. Next, people suffer blindness at night.

= = = = =Conclusion= Even though you need all cells, rod cells are one of the most important ones you need. Not only do they help you see in the dark they transfer the picture to the optic nerve and brings the picture to your brain. Without the rod cells at night you wouldn’t be able to see at night. You wouldn’t be able to see black and white.

=References=

"Cells." ScienceFlix. Scholastic Grolier Online,  scienceflix.digital.scholastic.com/  article?unitId=01002274 _10772201&articleSlpid=01001341. Accessed 30  Jan. 2017.

 ncpage?tn=/encyc/article.html&id=10001376& type=0ta. Accessed 30  Jan. 2017. || "Eyes." PowerKnowledge Life Science, Rosen Publishing, www.pklifescience.com/  article/426/eyes. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017. "Eyes." BrainPOP, www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/eyes/. Accessed 30 Jan.  2017. Genetics home refrence. 24 Jan. 2017, ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/  cone-rod-dystrophy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017.
 * : || "Eye." The New Book of Knowledge. Scholastic Grolier Online, nbk.grolier.com/

<span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2017. ||
 * <span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Goldberg, Morton F. "Eye." World Book Student. World Book, 2017. Web. 30 Jan.

<span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;">National Human Genome Research Institute. 27 Dec. 2013, www.genome.gov/ <span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> 13514348/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017. <span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Padilla, Michael J., et al. Prentice Hall Science Explorer. Boston, Pearson <span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> Prentice Hall, 2007.

[|__http://biol1020-2012-1.blogspot.com/2012/05/gene-therapy-technique-to-cure.html__]
 * <span style="background-color: #e5eff7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Science Aid. scienceaid.net/biology/humans/eye.html. Accessed 30 Jan. 2017. ||