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The portion of the retina that produces the greatest visual acuity (sharpness of image) is the ______. It is located within a patch of cells posterior to the center of the lens called the ______.

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Final answer:

The fovea is the part of the retina responsible for high visual acuity, and it's situated in the macula. It has the highest concentration of cones and each cone connects to a single RGC for precise vision.

Step-by-step explanation:

The portion of the retina that produces the greatest visual acuity is the fovea. It is located within a patch of cells posterior to the center of the lens called the macula. The fovea is a small area at the center of the retina where the concentration of cones is the highest, allowing for the sharpest vision. Without the obstruction of other retinal cells like supporting cells and blood vessels, the clarity of the image perceived is at its peak. Each cone in the fovea is connected to a single retinal ganglion cell (RGC), enabling precise visual transduction without having to integrate inputs from multiple photoreceptors. This arrangement contrasts with the peripheral retina, where several photoreceptors connect to each RGC, resulting in lower visual acuity.

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