Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39820780›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

Unique ultrastructural organization of human rod photoreceptors.

Tylor R Lewis, Natalia V Klementieva, Sebastien Phan, Carson M Castillo, Keun-Young Kim, Lauren Y Cao, Mark H Ellisman, Vadim Y Arshavsky, Oleg Alekseev

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Tylor R LewisDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. trlewis@uab.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6832-7972
Natalia V KlementievaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Sebastien PhanNational Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Carson M CastilloDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Keun-Young KimNational Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Lauren Y CaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-2437-3972
Mark H EllismanNational Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8893-8455
Vadim Y ArshavskyDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. vadim.arshavsky@duke.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8394-3650
Oleg AlekseevDepartment of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA. oleg.alekseev@duke.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1179-194X

Funding

VISION RESEARCHP30EY005722 · NEI · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI Goldis Malek · 1985 to 2026
$19.3M
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research: A BRAIN Technology Integration and Dissemination ResourceU24NS120055 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ELLISMAN, MARK H · 2021 to 2025
$5.4M
Reversing Microglial Inflammarafts and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Alzheimer's DiseaseR01AG081037 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Mark H Ellisman, WONKYU JU · 2023 to 2026
$3.1M
Mechanisms of photoreceptor disc maturationR01EY030451 · NEI · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI ARSHAVSKY, VADIM Y · 2020 to 2024
$2.4M
FEI TITAN HALO 300kV INTERMEDIATE VOLTAGE ELECTRON MICROSCOPES10OD021784 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ELLISMAN, MARK H · 2017 to 2017
$1.9M
Advancing Multi-Color EM via Direct Detector-enabled 4D-STEMR01GM138780 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ELLISMAN, MARK H · 2020 to 2023
$1.7M
Role of Proteasome Overload in Pathogenesis of Retinitis PigmentosaK08EY033857 · NEI · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI Oleg Alekseev · 2022 to 2026
$854k
The role of ADAM9 in retinal health and diseaseR00EY033763 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · PI Tylor Robert Lewis · 2024 to 2026
$747k
The role of ADAM9 in retinal health and diseaseK99EY033763 · NEI · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI LEWIS, TYLOR ROBERT · 2022 to 2023
$252k
Duke | School of Medicine, Duke University (Duke University School of Medicine) Physician-Scientist Strong Start AwardNational Science Foundation (NSF) AG081037National Science Foundation (NSF) GM138780National Science Foundation (NSF) S10OD021784National Science Foundation (NSF) U24NS120055NEI NIH HHS K08 EY033857NEI NIH HHS K99 EY033763NEI NIH HHS P30 EY005722NEI NIH HHS R00 EY033763NEI NIH HHS R01 EY030451NIA NIH HHS R01 AG081037NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM138780NIH HHS S10 OD021784NINDS NIH HHS U24 NS120055U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY005722U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY030451U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY033763
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rod and cone photoreceptor cells are specialized neurons responsible for transforming the information reaching the eyes in the form of photons into the language of neuronal activity. Rods are the most prevalent photoreceptor type, primarily responsible for light detection under conditions of limited illumination. Here we demonstrate that human rods have a morphological organization unique among all described species, whereby the cell soma extends alongside the light-sensitive outer segment compartment to form a structure we have termed the "accessory inner segment." These structures have two striking features: they are reinforced by a massive microtubular cytoskeleton and contain electron-dense adhesions that mediate their attachment to outer segments. Given that the spacing of human rod photoreceptors is sparser than in most other species, the accessory inner segment likely provides mechanical support to the closely apposed outer segment. This discovery expands our understanding of the human retina and directs future studies of human photoreceptor function in health and disease.

Indexed as

Retinal Rod Photoreceptor CellsHumans

Identifiers

PMID39820780
PMCPMC11739419

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.