Retinal physiology and circuit specializations for prey capture in fish

The retina is a thin layer of nerve tissue located at the back of the eye and is responsible for vision. Its basic architecture, consisting of three nuclear layers separated by two synaptic layers, was already established in ancestral vertebrate species, which emerged in an aquatic environment. Therefore, the knowledge of retinal physiology and circuits in fish serves as a foundation for understanding the retinas of other vertebrate species, including humans. This article summarizes recent findings about retinal circuits for prey capture, with a specific focus on zebrafish, which, with their genetic accessibility and transparent larvae, have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of retinal physiology.