Abstract
Photoreceptors are specialised cells evolved for high sensitivity to light. The light absorbing molecule is a dipole embedded in a protein molecule. This chromophore-protein complex, the rhodopsin molecule, is part of the cell membrane, where it is free to undergo lateral and rotational diffusion. The high quantum capture property of highly evolved photoreceptors is the result of several molecular, fine and gross structural mechanisms: (1) The concentration of rhodopsin molecules within the membrane is extremely high; (2) The membranes holding the rhodopsin molecules are organised in closely packed stacks of discs (vertebrate photoreceptors) or dense packages of tubes (rhabdomeric invertebrate photoreceptors); (3) Light is contained within the light absorbing structure as the result of the high optical density of these membrane stacks (light guide).
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Laughlin, S.B., Menzel, R., Snyder, A.W. (1975). Membranes, Dichroism and Receptor Sensitivity. In: Snyder, A.W., Menzel, R. (eds) Photoreceptor Optics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80934-7_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80934-7_15
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