What are the two types of photoreceptors in the retina?

What are the two types of photoreceptors in the retina?

• A. Ganglion cells and bipolar cells.
• B. Amacrine and horizontal cells.
• C. Photoreceptors and interneurons.
• D. Rods and cones.

Answer: (D)

Photoreceptors are the light-detecting cells of the retina, and there are two main kinds that do the actual light transduction. These are rods and cones. Rods are extremely sensitive and work well in dim lighting, but they do not detect color and provide limited detail. Cones require brighter light and handle color vision plus high visual acuity, with different cone types contributing to color perception. The other retinal cells—such as ganglion, bipolar, amacrine, and horizontal cells—are involved in processing the signals, not in detecting light themselves. So the two designated photoreceptors are rods and cones.

Photoreceptors are the light-detecting cells of the retina, and there are two main kinds that do the actual light transduction. These are rods and cones. Rods are extremely sensitive and work well in dim lighting, but they do not detect color and provide limited detail. Cones require brighter light and handle color vision plus high visual acuity, with different cone types contributing to color perception. The other retinal cells—such as ganglion, bipolar, amacrine, and horizontal cells—are involved in processing the signals, not in detecting light themselves. So the two designated photoreceptors are rods and cones.