The Inner Nuclear Layer is
the
fifth (5th) of the layers forming
the retina of
the human eye that light reaches after entering the eye: That is,
after light from outside the body enters the eye through it's main structures
of the cornea, aqueous
humour, pupil, lens,
etc..
The retina is composed of several layers which, together, form
the "screen" in the eye onto which an image of the area
viewed by the eye is formed, and information about that image is
segmented into packets of information that are passed to the
visual cortex of the brain via the optic
nerve.
The Inner Nuclear Layer consists
of three different types of cells that are packed closely
together.
These three types of cells are: |
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(1.) |
Oval-shaped Bipolar Nerve Cells
These
consist of a large oval-shaped "body" containing a distinct nucleous. They are
each surrounded by a quantity of protoplasm that extends
into two processes, in each case one of these processes
extends into the inner
molecular layer (layer 4) of the
retina where it tapers off to a single end-point, while
the other extends into the outer
molecular layer (layer
6)
of the
retina where it divides into multiple branches.
Some texts classify the bipolar nerve cells as "rod-bipolars"
and "cone-bipolars".
Bipolar
Nerve
Cells are
most numerous of the three types
of cells found in the
Inner Nuclear Layer of the retina. |
(2.) |
The central layer (or "stratum") of the Inner
Nuclear Layer contains cells called amacrine cells
that are characterized by their lack of axis-cylinder
process, and which extend into the inner molecular layer. Some
other cells within this sub-layer are called the "horizontal
cells of Cajal" and extend in the opposite direction into
the outer
molecular layer. |
(3.) |
There are also a few cells in the Inner Nuclear
Layer that are associated with the
Fibres of Müller. |
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