Bleaching induces conformational changes in both retinene and the associated opsin. T or F
I don't understand this bleaching process
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "bleaching retinine opsin" to get these possible sources:
http://books.google.com/books?id=2HjNNrwLEZoC&pg=PA337&lpg=PA337&dq=bleaching+retinine+opsin&source=web&ots=w32qpQ0meQ&sig=Ju8tsdh5RAnTPEtPFUVco-y1Eo0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result
http://www.acbrown.com/physiol/Syllabus/NrVisnA7b.pdf
http://www.acbrown.com/neuro/Lectures/NrVisn/NrVisnRtnlHprp.htm
(Broken Link Removed)
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
The statement is true. Bleaching refers to the chemical process that occurs in the visual system when light interacts with the pigment molecules in the retina. Specifically, it induces conformational changes in both retinene and the associated opsin.
To understand the bleaching process, let's start with some background information. The retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of our eye that contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. These photoreceptors can detect light and convert it into electrical signals that can be processed by the brain. There are two types of photoreceptor cells in the retina: rods and cones.
Cones are responsible for our color vision and are particularly sensitive to bright light conditions. Within the cones, there are pigments that consist of a protein called opsin and a molecule called retinene (also known as retinal). When light enters the eye and reaches these pigments, it causes a chemical reaction that leads to vision.
In the process of vision, light energy is absorbed by retinene, causing it to change its shape. This conformational change triggers a cascade of events that ultimately result in the generation of an electrical signal. This signal is then transmitted to the brain, where it is interpreted as visual information.
Now, let's get back to the bleaching process. When we say that bleaching induces conformational changes in retinene and opsin, it means that the interaction with light causes the retinene molecule to undergo a structural alteration, and it also affects the opsin protein.
More specifically, when light is absorbed by the retinene molecule, the retinene molecule changes from its original cis configuration to a trans configuration. This is known as isomerization. This isomerization is the key event that initiates the electrical signal transduction process in photoreceptor cells.
At the same time, the interaction between light and opsin triggers a series of biochemical reactions within the photoreceptor cell, leading to the generation and transmission of the electrical signal.
So, in summary, bleaching induces conformational changes in both retinene and the associated opsin. The interaction between light and retinene causes isomerization, while light interacting with opsin triggers a cascade of events that lead to the generation of an electrical signal.