The journal Cell recently featured interesting research by a team of German, British and Canadian scientists.
By looking at mice, one of the most representative animals that move at night, they discovered that the organisation of the nucleus of the rods is completely the opposite of the rest of the cells in their body.
This reverse «architecture» of the rods seems to have a significant effect on their function.
The research was extended to other animals that move more at night such as cats, deer, rabbits and skunks. The structure of the rods was also reversed in these animals compared to animals that move more during the day.
Given that animals that move at night must respond to light intensity up to a million times less than daylight, scientists have concluded that this need has led some species to evolve the structure of these rods over thousands of years. The reason seems to be the lower light diffusion that results with this structure, which by extension serves to gather information more timely.
Advances in biology and genetics may in the future be able to use this revelation therapeutically.
