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

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

7.3K
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,...
7.3K
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

27.0K
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.
27.0K
The Retina01:32

The Retina

72.8K
The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.
72.8K
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

8.2K
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...
8.2K
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

2.9K
Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
2.9K
Vision01:24

Vision

57.7K
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.
57.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Naringenin and quercetin alter mouse rod phototransduction kinetics in a manner consistent with phosphodiesterase-6 inhibition.

Pharmacological reports : PR·2026
Same author

An Ex Vivo Electroretinographic Apparatus for the mL-Scale Testing of Drugs to One Day and Beyond.

International journal of molecular sciences·2023
Same author

Lumbar spinal cord neurons putatively involved in ejaculation are sexually dimorphic in early postnatal mice.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2019
Same author

MiR-211 is essential for adult cone photoreceptor maintenance and visual function.

Scientific reports·2017
Same journal

Expression of protein kinase A catalytic subunits in healthy and diseased mouse kidneys.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
Same journal

Localization of O₂‑sensing ADO‑RGS pathway components in mouse and human kidneys under normoxia, hypoxia and renal fibrosis.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
Same journal

Cholesterol-depleting dextrin depolarizes sarcolemma: the contribution of sodium / calcium channels and membrane integrity.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
Same journal

Inhibition of (interstitial) P2Y<sub>6</sub> receptors attenuates fibrosis progression.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
Same journal

Renal NHE3 is required to limit hypokalemia and metabolic acidosis during dietary potassium deficiency.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
Same journal

Xenin-25 improves indomethacin-induced acute gastric injury in rats.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 5, 2025

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

11.7K

Interphotoreceptor coupling: an evolutionary perspective.

Lorenzo Cangiano1, Sabrina Asteriti2

  • 1Dept. of Translational Research, University of Pisa, Via San Zeno 31, 56123, Pisa, Italy. lorenzo.cangiano@unipi.it.

Pflugers Archiv : European Journal of Physiology
|May 14, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Photoreceptor coupling via gap junctions allows visual signal interaction in the vertebrate retina. This study explores its evolutionary pressures and impact on vision across species, revealing knowledge gaps.

Keywords:
ConesCouplingEvolutionGap junctionsPhotoreceptorsRods

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo
11:42

Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo

Published on: June 19, 2016

19.8K
Preparation of Living Isolated Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells for Fluorescence Imaging
11:24

Preparation of Living Isolated Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells for Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: June 22, 2011

12.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 5, 2025

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

11.7K
Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo
11:42

Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo

Published on: June 19, 2016

19.8K
Preparation of Living Isolated Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells for Fluorescence Imaging
11:24

Preparation of Living Isolated Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells for Fluorescence Imaging

Published on: June 22, 2011

12.7K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Vision Science
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Vertebrate retinal signals from rods and cones interact for visual processing.
  • Electrical coupling through gap junctions between photoreceptors is an early site of interaction.
  • This coupling occurs at specialized cellular junctions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine evolutionary pressures for and against interphotoreceptor coupling.
  • To discuss the impact of coupling on visual perception and retinal signal flow.
  • To highlight knowledge gaps and unanswered questions regarding photoreceptor communication.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and data from diverse vertebrate models (lampreys to primates).
  • Analysis of the effects of photoreceptor coupling on various visual parameters.
  • Comparative study across species to understand evolutionary influences.

Main Results:

  • Interphotoreceptor coupling influences signal-to-noise ratio, spatial acuity, and color discrimination.
  • Coupling strategies vary significantly across different vertebrate species.
  • Evidence suggests ancestral photoreceptor coupling in ciliary photoreceptors.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary pressures have shaped the diverse deployment of photoreceptor coupling.
  • Significant gaps remain in understanding the extent and physiological roles of rod-rod, cone-cone, and rod-cone coupling.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the functional significance of photoreceptor electrical coupling.