Amacrine cells are the busy helpers of your eye. They connect messengers to each other and help you notice when something moves.
Drag to turn it around. Use the buttons to zoom in and try things from the lessons.
The 3D model can't load right now. Check your internet connection, or try a different web browser.
Amacrine cells (AM-uh-krin) live in the retina at the back of your eye, between the bipolar cells and the ganglion cells.
Most nerve cells have one long tail. Amacrine cells don't! Their name means they have no long fiber. Instead they spread out lots of short branches.
Scientists have found dozens of different kinds of amacrine cells. One kind is called a starburst cell, because its branches spread out like fireworks!
Amacrine cells listen to bipolar cells and talk to ganglion cells. They help shape the message before it goes to the brain.
Some kinds help your eye tell which way something is moving, like a ball flying toward you. Others help with timing and with seeing in dim light.
Scroll up to the 3D model and press Spot the motion. Watch signals zip across the amacrine cell's branches.