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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Preparation of Living Isolated Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells for Fluorescence Imaging
Published on: June 22, 2011
[Fluorescence of rhodopsins and its relation to primary processes of light energy transformation]
Abstract:
A new area of the investigation of visual and bacterial rhodopsins--fluorescence spectroscopy of the pigments is discussed. Fluorescence properties are considered in relation to photochemical transformations of the pigments at low temperatures. A number of fluorescent states of the pigments are described. It is shown that the excited states of bacteriorhodopsin and visual rhodopsin are characterized by a series of common features. The analysis of general properties of the pigments excited states allows a conclusion that the singlet excited states take part in the photoreaction. The photoreaction scheme is discussed in which structural changes of the chromophore take place already in the excited state.
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