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Mutated gene in zebrafish sheds light on blindness in humans

Mutated gene in zebrafish sheds light on blindness in humans (c) FSU Visual Media and Promotions

Tags: blindness, cell, cone, degeneration, disease, eye, gene, human, mutation, photoreceptor, retina, retinal, zebrafish

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Mutated gene in zebrafish sheds light on blindness in humans
— 25 March 2009 15:16 GMT | Health

Among zebrafish, the eyes have it. Inside them is a mosaic of light-sensitive cells whose structure and functions are nearly identical to those of humans. There, biologists at The Florida State University discovered a gene mutation that determines if the cells develop as rods (the photoreceptors responsible for dim-light vision) or as cones (the photoreceptors needed for colour vision)…