photopigments
Retinal color detectors
Photopigments are light-sensitive molecules in the eye that absorb light and trigger the neural signals underlying vision.
Found in the retina's rods and cones, different photopigments respond to different wavelengths, enabling color perception.
The three types of cone photopigments correspond roughly to red, green, and blue sensitivity.
Molecule's tint-causing portion
- 11-cis-retinalOpsin-bound visual pigment
- retinalOf eye's inner lining
- isomerizationMolecular rearrangement keeping same atoms
- transductionSignal or energy transformation
Thin cylindrical shafts
- conesTapering geometric solids
- rod cellsLight-sensitive retinal neurons
- scotopicRelating to dim-light vision
- color visionPerceiving hue differences
Retinal disease causing central blindness
- colorblindnessImpaired hue discrimination
- night blindnessImpaired vision in darkness
- vitamin ASight-supporting micronutrient
- retinolTopical anti-aging compound
chromophore
Molecule's tint-causing portion
- 11-cis-retinalOpsin-bound visual pigment
- retinalOf eye's inner lining
- isomerizationMolecular rearrangement keeping same atoms
rods
Thin cylindrical shafts
- conesTapering geometric solids
- rod cellsLight-sensitive retinal neurons
- scotopicRelating to dim-light vision
color vision · wavelength · spectral · colorblindness · night vision
macular degeneration
Retinal disease causing central blindness
- colorblindnessImpaired hue discrimination
- night blindnessImpaired vision in darkness
- vitamin ASight-supporting micronutrient
retinol · lutein · carotenoids
photopigmentslens
Light-focusing curved glass
cornea · vitreous humor · sclera · optical media · collagen