We published a new paper in Communications Biology, entitled “Unique ultrastructural organization of human rod photoreceptors”. In this work, we used ultrastructural analysis to discover that human rod photoreceptors have a unique morphological organization, whereby the cell body extends alongside the light-sensitive outer segment compartment to form a structure 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, we propose that the accessory inner segment likely provides mechanical support to the closely apposed outer segment
