rhodopsin

American  

[roh-dop-sin] / roʊˈdɒp sɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a bright-red photosensitive pigment found in the rod-shaped cells of the retina of certain fishes and most higher vertebrates: it is broken down by the action of dim light into retinal and opsin.

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rhodopsin British  

/ rəʊˈdɒpsɪn /

noun

1. Also called: visual purple.  a red pigment in the rods of the retina in vertebrates. It is dissociated by light into retinene, the light energy being converted into nerve signals, and is re-formed in the dark See also iodopsin

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Etymology

Origin of rhodopsin

1885–90; rhod- + Greek óps ( is ) sight, vision + -in ²

Example Sentences

Every single one of the flies with mutant rhodopsin usually develops retinitis pigmentosa, but a full 65% of those with overactive ZIP7 formed eyes that respond normally to light.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

These include the rhodopsin molecules in the retina of the eye, which play a crucial role in converting light into the electrical signals that create our sense of vision in the brain.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2024

To see if they could outfit a single-celled organism with solar-powered rhodopsin, researchers added a rhodopsin gene synthesized from a parasitic fungus to common baker's yeast.

From Science Daily • Jan. 12, 2024

They homed in on a protein known as rhodopsin, which doesn’t require a large molecular entourage.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 18, 2023

In the outer part of the rods the visual purple or rhodopsin is found.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 1 "Evangelical Church Conference" to "Fairbairn, Sir William" by Various