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Channel Rhodopsins

Channel Rhodopsins

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,...

Unrenewable Cells

Unrenewable Cells

In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Optical Control of Living Cells Electrical Activity by Conjugated Polymers

Optical Control of Living Cells Electrical Activity by Conjugated Polymers

Published on: January 28, 2016

Sensing the Light With Artificial Cells.

Lei Liu¹, Peiyong Song¹, Meiqi Luo¹

¹State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.

Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology

|April 25, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores how nature uses light for energy and sensing. It highlights advancements in artificial cells that mimic these natural light-harvesting and sensing abilities for future bio-inspired technologies.

Keywords:

artificial cells division endocytosis light protocells signal transduction

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Last Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Optical Control of Living Cells Electrical Activity by Conjugated Polymers

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Synthetic Biology
Photochemistry

Background:

Nature utilizes sophisticated light-harvesting and sensory systems for energy conversion and biological regulation.
Photoreceptors and chromophore-embedded proteins are key to understanding biological light-matter interactions.
Artificial cells offer a platform to study life's origins and biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the role of photosensation and photoenergy transduction in biological systems.
To summarize the bottom-up construction of artificial cells.
To examine advancements in light-harvesting, phototransduction, and energy conversion in artificial cells.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on natural light-harvesting systems.
Analysis of bottom-up approaches for artificial cell construction.
Examination of studies on artificial cells incorporating light-harvesting and sensory functions.

Main Results:

Biological systems efficiently use light for energy and signaling.
Hierarchical structures are crucial for developing effective artificial cell mimics.
Recent progress shows promise in artificial light-harvesting, phototransduction, and energy conversion.

Conclusions:

Artificial cells are advancing as mimics of natural cellular functions.
Light-harvesting and photoenergy transduction are critical for developing sophisticated artificial cells.
Further research in this area could lead to novel bio-inspired technologies.