Fovea

The fovea as the retinal site of the sharpest vision is a pitted invagination at the inner surface of thick retinal areas which contain high photoreceptor and neuron numbers. There are two basic types of the vertebrate fovea: the fovea of non-mammalian species, which does not contain a foveola, and the primate (including human) fovea with a central foveola surrounded by sloping foveal walls. The different morphologies of both fovea types are associated with different optical properties and are suggested to mainly result from the absence and presence of retinal astrocytes. The Fovea: Structure, Function, Development, and Disease summarizes the current biological knowledge regarding the two types of the vertebrate fovea (and its main structural elements, the Müller cells); this information is then used to explain different aspects of human vision, foveal development, and macular disorders. In the first quarter the book gives an overview of the retinal structure and the different types of retinal glia, in the second quarter it surveys the structure and function of the primate and non-mammalian fovea types, and then it discusses the foveal development with a focus on the human fovea. In the last part, the roles of Müller cells and astrocytes in the pathogenesis and regeneration of various human macular disorders are described. Using a translational approach, this reference is a valuable text for scientists, clinicians, and physicians interested in the fovea. Readers can expect to understand the cellular basics of the fovea, which is the most important part of the eye. Adopts a translational approach, summarizing the biological knowledge regarding the structure and function of the fovea, the roles of Müller cells in mediating the structural integrity, and function of the fovea; and using this knowledge to explain different aspects of human macular disordersProvides overviews of both basic types of the vertebrate fovea, countering the popular belief that there is only one type of the vertebrate fovea, the human foveaThoroughly shows the mechanisms involved in the development of the fovea that explain the rapid improvement of the visual acuity in newbornsExplains pathological changes in the foveal structure and function with evaluation pointing toward possible prevention and/or cure