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

Light as Energy01:35

Light as Energy

95.6K
The energy required to carry out photosynthesis is light— typically electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The range of all possible wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.
Photons
A photon is a discrete electromagnetic particle or bundle of energy. Photons are characterized by their frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, similar to the properties of a wave. Waves with higher frequencies transmit more energy and have shorter wavelengths than longer wavelengths that transmit...
95.6K
Levels of Organization01:09

Levels of Organization

139.3K
Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth's biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
139.3K
Gene Therapy00:59

Gene Therapy

27.4K
Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.4K
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness01:19

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

635
Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
635
Leveling Effect01:29

Leveling Effect

1.4K
In acid-base chemistry, the leveling effect refers to the limitation imposed by the solvent on the strength of acids and bases in solution. When a base stronger than the solvent's conjugate base is used, it deprotonates the solvent until the base is entirely consumed, making it ineffective against weaker acids. Conversely, an acid stronger than the solvent's conjugate acid protonates the solvent until the acid is depleted, rendering it ineffective against weaker bases. Essentially, the...
1.4K
Reaction Mechanisms03:06

Reaction Mechanisms

30.6K
Chemical reactions often occur in a stepwise fashion, involving two or more distinct reactions taking place in a sequence. A balanced equation indicates the reacting species and the product species, but it reveals no details about how the reaction occurs at the molecular level. The reaction mechanism (or reaction path) provides details regarding the precise, step-by-step process by which a reaction occurs.
For instance, the decomposition of ozone appears to follow a mechanism with two steps:
30.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Expert consensus on vitamin D in osteoporosis.

Annals of joint·2025
Same author

Tutankhamun's Antimalarial Drug for Covid-19.

Drug research·2020
Same author

Quantum biology in low level light therapy: death of a dogma.

Annals of translational medicine·2020
Same author

Mitochondrial solar sensitivity: evolutionary and biomedical implications.

Annals of translational medicine·2020
Same author

Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase is not the primary acceptor for near infrared light-it is mitochondrial bound water: the principles of low-level light therapy.

Annals of translational medicine·2019
Same author

Aging Is a Sticky Business.

Photomedicine and laser surgery·2018
Same journal

Photobiomodulation Therapy for Symptom Management in Essential Palatal Myoclonus: Two Case Studies with Long-Term Follow-Up Two Cases: 7-Year/2-Month Follow-Up.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
Same journal

Effect of High-Intensity Laser Therapy on Disc Size and Functional Outcome in Patients with Lumbar Disc Herniation.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
Same journal

Study on Optimal Optical Parameters for Cutting Liver Tissue with a Novel 980/1470 nm Dual-Wavelength Semiconductor Laser.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
Same journal

Transcranial 810 nm Pulsed Photobiomodulation Improves Learning and Reduces Aβ<sub>42</sub> Burden in APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
Same journal

The Effect of Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood in Functional Outcomes of Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Pilot Study.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
Same journal

Photobiomodulation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells by 355 nm Low-Level Ultraviolet Laser Exposure.

Photobiomodulation, photomedicine, and laser surgery·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
11:08

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

19.5K

Revisiting the Photon/Cell Interaction Mechanism in Low-Level Light Therapy.

Andrei P Sommer1

  • 1Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Photobiomodulation, Photomedicine, and Laser Surgery
|May 21, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) is not the primary absorber of red-to-near-infrared light for cellular energy production. New research challenges the CCO hypothesis, proposing a simpler model for light therapy effects.

Keywords:
CCOLEDmitochondriapulsed light

More Related Videos

Imaging Cell Interaction in Tracheal Mucosa During Influenza Virus Infection Using Two-photon Intravital Microscopy
08:01

Imaging Cell Interaction in Tracheal Mucosa During Influenza Virus Infection Using Two-photon Intravital Microscopy

Published on: August 17, 2018

8.8K
Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy
11:51

Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy

Published on: March 1, 2016

10.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
11:08

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

19.5K
Imaging Cell Interaction in Tracheal Mucosa During Influenza Virus Infection Using Two-photon Intravital Microscopy
08:01

Imaging Cell Interaction in Tracheal Mucosa During Influenza Virus Infection Using Two-photon Intravital Microscopy

Published on: August 17, 2018

8.8K
Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy
11:51

Construction of Defined Human Engineered Cardiac Tissues to Study Mechanisms of Cardiac Cell Therapy

Published on: March 1, 2016

10.8K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Cellular Biology
  • Photomedicine

Background:

  • Current low-level light therapy (LLLT) research often cites cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) as the primary absorber of red-to-near-infrared (R-NIR) light.
  • This hypothesis suggests CCO's absorption of R-NIR photons drives mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) upregulation and explains the therapeutic superiority of pulsed R-NIR light over continuous wave (CW) modes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the existing evidence supporting CCO as the primary R-NIR light absorber in cells.
  • To investigate the validity of the CCO hypothesis in explaining the enhanced therapeutic effects of pulsed R-NIR light in LLLT.
  • To propose an alternative, conflict-free model for R-NIR light's biological effects.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review and rigorous analysis of published data on R-NIR light absorption by CCO.
  • Systematic analysis of theoretical models linking CCO absorption to ATP upregulation and pulsed vs. CW light effects.
  • Comparison of existing data with a newly proposed biophysical model.

Main Results:

  • Significant inconsistencies were found in the literature supporting CCO as the primary R-NIR light absorber.
  • The CCO-based hypothesis fails to coherently explain the superiority of pulsed R-NIR irradiation.
  • A new, simpler model aligns with recent experimental findings and explains both ATP upregulation and pulsed light efficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Cytochrome c oxidase is not the primary acceptor of R-NIR photons in cellular processes.
  • The prevailing CCO hypothesis for LLLT mechanisms is not generally valid.
  • A revised model offers a more consistent explanation for R-NIR light's biological impacts in LLLT.