1. 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.