Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Color Science and Technology pp 1–6Cite as

Photoreceptors, color vision

  • 199 Accesses

Synonyms

Cone pigments; Opsin genes; Photoreceptor cells; Visual pigments

Definition

It is the molecular structure of the genes that encode the human cone photopigments and their expression in photoreceptor cells. Alterations in these genes have consequences on the spectral sensitivity of the cone photopigments which in turn affect how the color-normal and color-deficient individual see the world.

Overview

Normal trichromats can match any color by combining three suitably chosen primaries in appropriate proportions. Those that differ from normal trichromats with respect to the proportions of the primaries may either require that the three primaries be present in unusual quantities or may only need two primaries. The first type of variation is known as anomalous trichromatism, and it is assumed that it arises when three classes of cones are present, one of which contains a photopigment with an anomalous absorption spectrum. The second type of variation is known as dichromatism and...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  1. Nathans, J., Piantanida, T.P., Eddy, R.L., Shows, T.B., Hogness, D.S.: Molecular genetics of inherited variation in human color vision. Science 232(4747), 203–210 (1986)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sharpe, L.T., Stockman, A., Jagle, H., Nathans, J.: Opsin genes, cone photopigments, color vision, and color blindness. In: Gegenfurtner, K.R., Sharpe, L.T. (eds.) Color Vision: From Genes to Perception, pp. 3–52. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bowmaker, J.K.: Visual pigments and molecular genetics of color blindness. News Physiol. Sci. 13, 63–69 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Asenjo, A.B.., Rim, J., Oprian, D.D.: Molecular determinants of human red/green color discrimination. Neuron 12(5), 1131–1138 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Neitz, M., Neitz, J., Jacobs, G.H.: Spectral tuning of pigments underlying red-green color vision. Science 252(5008), 971–974 (1991)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Weitz, C.J., Went, L.N., Nathans, J.: Human tritanopia associated with a third amino acid substitution in the blue-sensitive visual pigment. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 51(2), 444–446 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sharpe, L.T., Stockman, A., Jagle, H., Knau, H., Klausen, G., Reitner, A., et al.: Red, green, and red-green hybrid pigments in the human retina: correlations between deduced protein sequences and psychophysically measured spectral sensitivities. J. Neurosci. 18(23), 10053–10069 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Neitz, J., Neitz, M., He, J.C., Shevell, S.K.: Trichromatic color vision with only two spectrally distinct photopigments. Nat. Neurosci. 2(10), 884–888 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wyszecki, G., Stiles, W.S.: Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and Formulae. Wiley, New York (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Nathans, J.: The evolution and physiology of human color vision: Insights from molecular genetic studies of visual pigments. Neuron 24(2), 299–312 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Neitz, M., Neitz, J.: Numbers and ratios of visual pigment genes for normal red-green color vision. Science 267(5200), 1013–1016 (1995)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Neitz, J., Neitz, M., Kainz, P.M.: Visual pigment gene structure and the severity of color vision defects. Science 274(5288), 801–804 (1996)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hayashi, T., Motulsky, A.G., Deeb, S.S.: Position of a ‘green-red’ hybrid gene in the visual pigment array determines colour-vision phenotype. Nat. Genet. 22(1), 90–93 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Crognale, M.A., Teller, D.Y., Yamaguchi, T., Motulsky, A.G., Deeb, S.S.: Analysis of red/green color discrimination in subjects with a single X-linked photopigment gene. Vision Res. 39(4), 707–719 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Optometry and Visual Science, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK

    Marisa Rodriguez-Carmona

Authors
  1. Marisa Rodriguez-Carmona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marisa Rodriguez-Carmona .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Design University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Ronnier Luo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this entry

Cite this entry

Rodriguez-Carmona, M. (2016). Photoreceptors, color vision. In: Luo, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Color Science and Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_277-2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_277-2

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27851-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Photoreceptors, Color Vision
    Published:
    27 November 2019

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_277-3

  2. Photoreceptors, color vision
    Published:
    15 March 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_277-2

  3. Original

    Genetics of Photoreceptors, Genetics and Color Vision Deficiencies, Genes of Cone Photopigments, Genes and Cones
    Published:
    29 September 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_277-1

Search

Navigation