A deployment and retraction mechanism for selectively deploying and retracting a deployable component of a surgical instrument, the deployment and retraction mechanism comprising at least one actuator movable from an un-actuated position to an actuated position, wherein a full actuation of the at least one actuator is defined as movement of the at least one actuator from the un-actuated position to the actuated position, and a slider configured to engage the deployable component of the surgical instrument, characterized in that the deployment and retraction mechanism further comprises: a gear box housing a gear assembly, the at least one actuator being operably coupled to an input of the gear assembly and the slider being operably coupled to an output of the gear assembly, the slider selectively translatable relative to the gear box between a proximal position, corresponding to a storage condition of the deployable component, and a distal position, corresponding to a use condition of the deployable component; and wherein the gear assembly is configured such that: upon a full actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to the other of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from the actuated position to the un-actuated position independent of the slider, and upon a partial actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to an intermediate position between the proximal and distal positions and back to the one of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from a partially-actuated position between the un-actuated position and the actuated position to the un-actuated position in connection with the translation of the slider back to the one of the proximal or distal position. a gear box housing a gear assembly, the at least one actuator being operably coupled to an input of the gear assembly and the slider being operably coupled to an output of the gear assembly, the slider selectively translatable relative to the gear box between a proximal position, corresponding to a storage condition of the deployable component, and a distal position, corresponding to a use condition of the deployable component; and wherein the gear assembly is configured such that: upon a full actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to the other of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from the actuated position to the un-actuated position independent of the slider, and upon a partial actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to an intermediate position between the proximal and distal positions and back to the one of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from a partially-actuated position between the un-actuated position and the actuated position to the un-actuated position in connection with the translation of the slider back to the one of the proximal or distal position. upon a full actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to the other of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from the actuated position to the un-actuated position independent of the slider, and upon a partial actuation and subsequent release of the at least one actuator, the slider is translated from one of the proximal or distal positions to an intermediate position between the proximal and distal positions and back to the one of the proximal or distal positions, and the at least one actuator is returned from a partially-actuated position between the un-actuated position and the actuated position to the un-actuated position in connection with the translation of the slider back to the one of the proximal or distal position.