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Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

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, whereas...
The Retina01:32

The Retina

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.
Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

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 layer, the vascular tunic,...
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

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,...
Vision01:24

Vision

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells
13:02

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells

Published on: January 26, 2011

Retinal ganglion cells expressing melanopsin.

Hugo Calligaro1, Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya2, Satchidananda Panda1

  • 1Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology
|May 9, 2026
PubMed
Summary

The discovery of melanopsin, a light-sensitive protein, revealed a new system in the eye that regulates mammalian physiology and behavior. This intrinsically photosensitive system impacts daily rhythms and has implications for understanding diseases.

Keywords:
Circadian clockCircadian rhythmLightMelanopsinPhotoreceptionSleep

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

An Isolated Retinal Preparation to Record Light Response from Genetically Labeled Retinal Ganglion Cells
13:02

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Published on: January 26, 2011

Single-cell RNA-Seq of Defined Subsets of Retinal Ganglion Cells
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Single-cell RNA-Seq of Defined Subsets of Retinal Ganglion Cells

Published on: May 22, 2017

Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry
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Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 5, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Neuroscience
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • The daily light-dark cycle is a primary environmental cue for biological rhythms in animals.
  • In mammals, the retina is the sole entry point for light information.
  • The discovery of melanopsin revolutionized the understanding of light's influence on the brain and body.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of melanopsin function in the mammalian retina.
  • To discuss the discovery, expression, and physiologic implications of melanopsin.
  • To explore the significance of melanopsin in various diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on melanopsin.
  • Analysis of melanopsin expression patterns in the retina.
  • Exploration of the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell system.

Main Results:

  • Melanopsin is a conserved photopigment crucial for non-visual light perception.
  • It forms part of an intrinsically photosensitive system in retinal ganglion cells, independent of classic visual pathways.
  • This system influences physiological functions and circadian rhythms.

Conclusions:

  • Melanopsin plays a vital role in mammalian physiology and behavior by mediating light's effects.
  • Understanding melanopsin function is key to comprehending circadian rhythms and light-related disorders.
  • Further research into melanopsin's role in disease holds therapeutic potential.