cone cell FBbt_00004193

cone cell

ID: FBbt_00004193

A cell type of the ommatidium. Each ommatidium contains four cone cells. The four cell bodies form a plate that is the floor of the pseudocone and the roof of the rhabdomere chamber. The surface facing the pseudocone is covered with small papillae that secrete lens materials. The lower surface, facing the photoreceptors, makes numerous hemi-desmosomes with the extracellular cap above the rhabdomeres. Each cone cell extends a thin process, the inter-retinular fiber, between the photoreceptors to the base of the ommatidium where it makes a foot. The four cone cell feet make a plug at the base of the rhabdomere chamber. Cone cells contain coarse ommochrome pigment granules. (Wolff and Ready, 1993)