title: Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells:  classification, function and clinical implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The discovery of a new class of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) revealed their superior role for various nonvisual biological functions, including the pupil light reflex, and circadian photoentrainment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent works have identified and characterized several anatomically and functionally distinct ipRGC subtypes and have added strong new evidence for the accessory role of ipRGCs in the visual system in humans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review summarizes current concepts related to ipRGC morphology, central connections and behavioural functions and highlights recent studies having clinical relevance to ipRGCs. Clinical implications of the melanopsin system are widespread, particularly as related to chronobiology.
authors.affiliation: Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory, ENAC, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mirjam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Münch
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D017299:Rod Opsins / Q000378:metabolism; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D000099210:Melanopsin
chemical_list: D017299:Rod Opsins; D000099210:Melanopsin