HealthAugust 13, 2026

amacrine

AM-uh-krin

Definition

A type of inhibitory interneuron in the retina that helps process visual information by connecting bipolar cells and ganglion cells.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'a-' (without), 'makros' (long), and 'is/inos' (fiber), referring to the cells' lack of a traditional long-distance axon.

In the news

The article uses amacrine cells to illustrate how early visual experience can physically reshape retinal neurons, affecting how an animal perceives and reacts to its environment.

Early experience reshapes zebrafish retinal cells, alters behavior

Read the full article ↗

The Transmitter

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