Rod and cone visual pigments and phototransduction through pharmacological, genetic, and physiological approaches

Vladimir J. Kefalov

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

75 Scopus citations

Abstract

Activation of the visual pigment by light in rod and cone photoreceptors initiates our visual perception. As a result, the signaling properties of visual pigments, consisting of a protein, opsin, and a chromophore, 11-cis-retinal, play a key role in shaping the light responses of photoreceptors. The combination of pharmacological, physiological, and genetic tools has been a powerful approach advancing our understanding of the interactions between opsin and chromophore and how they affect the function of visual pigments. The signaling properties of the visual pigments modulate many aspects of the function of rods and cones, producing their unique physiological properties.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1635-1641
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume287
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 13 2012

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