Definition
opsins
noun
- Plural of opsin; light-sensitive proteins found in the retina of the eye that bind to retinal and enable vision by responding to light.
Usage: technical; biology
Examples
- Opsins are essential proteins that allow photoreceptor cells to detect light.
- Different types of opsins in cone cells enable humans to see different colors.
- Rhodopsin, a well-studied opsin, is abundant in rod cells of the retina.
- Mutations in genes encoding opsins can lead to color blindness.
- Scientists study opsins to understand how the eye converts light into neural signals.