2017/12/17

Evolutionary biologists are surprised - Mice are able to see colors

Evolutionary biologists are surprised - Mice are able to see colors

https://neurosciencenews.com/mouse-color-vision-8197/

Excerpt from abstract:"

The M5 Cell: A Color-Opponent Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cell

Highlights

•M5 cells are a morphologically and functionally distinct unique ipRGC type
•They have both melanopsin responses and chromatically opponent cone-based signals
•They receive color-opponent signal (UV-ON, green-OFF) via Types 6–9 bipolar cells
•M5 cells innervate the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN)

Summary

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) combine direct photosensitivity through melanopsin with synaptically mediated drive from classical photoreceptors through bipolar-cell input. Here, we sought to provide a fuller description of the least understood ipRGC type, the M5 cell, and discovered a distinctive functional characteristic—chromatic opponency (ultraviolet excitatory, green inhibitory). Serial electron microscopic reconstructions revealed that M5 cells receive selective UV-opsin drive from Type 9 cone bipolar cells but also mixed cone signals from bipolar Types 6, 7, and 8. Recordings suggest that both excitation and inhibition are driven by the ON channel and that chromatic opponency results from M-cone-driven surround inhibition mediated by wide-field spiking GABAergic amacrine cells. We show that M5 cells send axons to the dLGN and are thus positioned to provide chromatic signals to visual cortex. These findings underscore that melanopsin’s influence extends beyond unconscious reflex functions to encompass cortical vision, perhaps including the perception of color." 

My comment: Several mammals have been thought to be color blind or at least limited with color vision. Evolutionary biologists have believed that only the so-called "more evolved" mammals have the ability to see the colors. A typical argument of evolutionists has also been that the color vision would have evolved due to couple of random, lucky mutations. A recent study shows that evolutionists have once again been wrong. Mice are able to see the colors and the mechanism for seeing the colors is much more complicated than has hitherto been understood. 

The claims of development of color vision are pseudoscientific nonsense, like any other claim that genetic mutations and selection would result in the growth of structural or functional complexity. The Evolutionary theory is the most serious heresy of our time.