Week 2 Flashcards
Transduction
The process of converting one type of energy into another.
Changing light energy into neural signals
Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell
ipRGC
Visual receptor #3
- helps regulate circadian rhythms and pupillary reflex.
- has maintenance ability
Rods
Function similar to cones.
120 million in our eyes.
Peripheral retina has both rods and cones, but there are more rods than cones.
- more accustomed to low-light, detail vision, low spatial acuity
Cones
Function similar to rods.
6 million in our eyes.
Fovea contains only cones
Color vision, high spatial acuity
Two stage Dark Adaptation Curve
- stage 1 begins with rapid increase in sensitivity (3-4 min)
- the sensitivity levels off (7 - 10 min)
- Stage 2 shows increased sensitivity for another 20 - 30 mins. This is when the rods take over cones.
Experiment for cone adaptation
Test light falls directly on fovea - only simulates cones.
Results show that sensitivity increases 3 -4 mins and then levels off.
Experiment for rod adaptation
Must use a rod monochromatic person (born with no cone receptors)
Results show that sensitivity increases for about 20 - 30 mins and then levels off.
Why do rods and cones become more sensitive in the dark?
When retinal is isomerized (charges shape) it separates from the visual pigment (loss of retinal pigment and color = visual pigment bleaching)
And the darkness provides the opportunity to regenerate.
Isomerization
The process when a single photon of light is absorbed by a retinal molecule, causing the molecule to change shape.
How many visual pigment molecules need to go through isomerization t be detectable by a person?
** 7 ** of the 100 photons was absorbed by the light sensitive retinal molecule on the visual pigment.
100 to the eye - 50 reflected or absorbed - 50 reach retina - 7 absorbed by visual pigment
During transduction, photons of lights are absorbed among the discs in the ____ of the photoreceptor
Outer segment
The visual pigment molecule is a long protein strand called …
Opsin
Rhodopsin in rods
Photopsin in cones
The retinal
Only one location on the protein stand is reactive to light.
Reach visual pigment molecule has only 1 retinal
Enzyme cascade
1000s of chemical reactions leading to a change in receptor activity
- caused by imsomerization
Selig Hecht
Him and his colleagues wanted to find out how many visual pigment molecules need to go through isomerization to be detectable by a person.
Conclusion: it is unlikely fro more than one photon to reach a single receptor, activation of 7 rod receptors must make a test signal perceptible.
The specific part of the visual pigment that reacts to light, triggering the enzyme cascade in transduction, is the:
A. Opsin
B. Retinal
C. Disc
D. Outer segment
E. inner segment
B
Vision in daylight using cones is
Photopic
Vision at night using rods
Scotopic
Vision in between
Mesopic
Lens are more/less flexible and harder/softer as you age.
Less flexible; harder
AMD Age-related Macular Degeneration
- Fovea and macula are destroyed.
- Caused by interrupted supply of blood to the macula.
- Can’t see the center of a scene.
- Most common in older individuals
Wet AMD
(Less common)
The irregular growth of blood vessels which separates pigment epithelium away from back of retina
Dry AMD
Little protein deposits push out pigment epithelium and killing off the retina.