Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vision01:24

Vision

61.2K
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.
61.2K
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

10.5K
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,...
10.5K
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

2.8K
Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced...
2.8K
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis01:23

Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis

8.5K
The skin plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D, a vital nutrient for various physiological processes in the body. Vitamin D is unique because it can be synthesized in the skin through a series of chemical reactions triggered by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight.
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...
8.5K
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

5.9K
The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
5.9K
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

11.1K
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...
11.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Vitamin A metabolism in rod and cone visual cycles.

Annual review of nutrition·2012
Same author

Relationships among visual cycle retinoids, rhodopsin phosphorylation, and phototransduction in mouse eyes during light and dark adaptation.

Biochemistry·2010
Same author

Release of 11-cis-retinal from cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein by acidic lipids.

Molecular vision·2009
Same author

Localizations of visual cycle components in retinal pigment epithelium.

Molecular vision·2009
Same author

Duplication and divergence of zebrafish CRALBP genes uncovers novel role for RPE- and Muller-CRALBP in cone vision.

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science·2008
Same author

Subunit dissociation and diffusion determine the subcellular localization of rod and cone transducins.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2007

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Physiological Functions of Vitamin A Transporters Using HPLC-Based Vitamin A Profiling
05:03

Author Spotlight: Investigating Physiological Functions of Vitamin A Transporters Using HPLC-Based Vitamin A Profiling

Published on: December 27, 2024

1.8K

Vitamin A and Vision.

John C Saari1,2

  • 1Departments of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA. jsaari@u.washington.edu.

Sub-Cellular Biochemistry
|November 11, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Visual systems rely on 11-cis-retinal. Regeneration of this molecule after light exposure differs between rod and cone cells, with rod cycle issues potentially causing retinal degeneration.

Keywords:
11-cis retinal11-cis-retinolAll-trans-retinalAll-trans-retinolCRALBPConeRPE65RegenerationRetinaRodVisionVisual cycle

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Unraveling Vitamin A Transport Mechanisms — Linking Liver Receptors to Vision Health Through RBPR2 and RBP4 Interactions
08:18

Author Spotlight: Unraveling Vitamin A Transport Mechanisms — Linking Liver Receptors to Vision Health Through RBPR2 and RBP4 Interactions

Published on: October 4, 2024

1.6K
Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats
07:41

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats

Published on: October 23, 2020

7.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating Physiological Functions of Vitamin A Transporters Using HPLC-Based Vitamin A Profiling
05:03

Author Spotlight: Investigating Physiological Functions of Vitamin A Transporters Using HPLC-Based Vitamin A Profiling

Published on: December 27, 2024

1.8K
Author Spotlight: Unraveling Vitamin A Transport Mechanisms — Linking Liver Receptors to Vision Health Through RBPR2 and RBP4 Interactions
08:18

Author Spotlight: Unraveling Vitamin A Transport Mechanisms — Linking Liver Receptors to Vision Health Through RBPR2 and RBP4 Interactions

Published on: October 4, 2024

1.6K
Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats
07:41

Behavioral Assessment of Visual Function via Optomotor Response and Cognitive Function via Y-Maze in Diabetic Rats

Published on: October 23, 2020

7.0K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Vertebrate vision involves photoisomerization of 11-cis-retinal within opsin proteins in rod and cone photoreceptors.
  • This process generates all-trans-retinal, which must be regenerated to 11-cis-retinal for vision to continue.
  • Mammalian regeneration involves thermal isomerization and protective mechanisms against toxic vitamin A aldehyde forms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the differing regeneration mechanisms of 11-cis-retinal in rod and cone photoreceptor cells.
  • To explore the link between abnormal all-trans-retinal processing in the rod cycle and retinal degeneration.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets for inherited retinal diseases and dry age-related macular degeneration.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of photochemical and phototransduction reactions in rods and cones.
  • Investigation of the distinct energy barrier-overcoming mechanisms in rod and cone visual pigment regeneration.
  • Examination of the toxicity of all-trans-retinal and its derivatives in the rod regeneration cycle.

Main Results:

  • Photochemical and phototransduction pathways are conserved between rods and cones.
  • Significant differences exist in the regeneration cycles of rod and cone visual pigments.
  • Abnormalities in the rod regeneration cycle are linked to retinal degeneration, suggesting retinoid toxicity.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the molecular basis of differing rod and cone regeneration cycles is crucial.
  • Targeting the rod visual cycle offers potential therapeutic strategies for blinding retinal diseases.
  • Further research into unresolved aspects of these cycles may illuminate treatments for conditions like geographic atrophy.