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Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

61.5K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
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Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

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At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category,...
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Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

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Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
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Focusing of Light in the Eye01:16

Focusing of Light in the Eye

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Light rays enter the eye through the cornea, a transparent dome-shaped tissue that is the eye's outermost layer. The cornea bends or refracts, light rays traveling to the pupil. The shape of the cornea determines how much of the light is bent and whether the image will be focused correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. Once the light has passed through both refraction layers, it converges into a single focal point onto a small area. This is where photoreceptors start transforming...
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Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

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The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
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The Wave Nature of Light02:12

The Wave Nature of Light

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The nature of light has been a subject of inquiry since antiquity. In the seventeenth century, Isaac Newton performed experiments with lenses and prisms and was able to demonstrate that white light consists of the individual colors of the rainbow combined together. Newton explained his optics findings in terms of a "corpuscular" view of light, in which light was composed of streams of extremely tiny particles traveling at high speeds according to Newton's laws of motion.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
08:33

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

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Light and the evolution of vision.

D L Williams1

  • 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK.

Eye (London, England)
|November 7, 2015
PubMed
Summary

The evolution of vision spans 1.5 billion years, with similar photoreceptor molecules found in bacteria, protists, and mammals. This suggests ancient origins for light-sensing proteins, crucial for understanding early visual systems.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Vision's evolution is a vast topic, spanning approximately 1.5 billion years.
  • Photoreceptor molecules are key to understanding visual system development.
  • Similarities exist between primitive and advanced visual systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the evolutionary timeline of vision.
  • To investigate the molecular basis of early vision.
  • To identify commonalities in photoreceptor proteins across diverse organisms.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of photoreceptor molecules.
  • Examination of proteins in prokaryotes (bacteria, cyanobacteria), eukaryote protists, and mammals.
  • Literature review of evolutionary and molecular data.

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Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
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Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

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A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq
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A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings
08:33

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

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Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
05:07

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

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A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq
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A Bioinformatics Pipeline for Investigating Molecular Evolution and Gene Expression using RNA-seq

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Main Results:

  • Photoreceptor molecules in basic protists and even bacteria/cyanobacteria show striking similarity to mammalian opsins.
  • These conserved proteins indicate an ancient origin for light-sensing mechanisms.
  • The presence of similar molecules predates complex visual organs.

Conclusions:

  • The fundamental molecular machinery for vision is ancient, predating complex eyes.
  • Understanding these primitive systems is crucial for a complete picture of vision evolution.
  • Further research is needed on even earlier, more rudimentary vision systems.