2-Minute Neuroscience: Phototransduction

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Phototransduction is the process that occurs in the retina where light is converted into electrical signals that can be understood by the rest of the nervous system. In this video, I explain the mechanism underlying phototransduction in rod photoreceptor cells.

TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome to 2 minute neuroscience, where I explain neuroscience topics in 2 minutes or less. In this installment I will discuss phototransduction.

Phototransduction is the process that occurs in the retina where light is converted into electrical signals that can be understood by the nervous system. It primarily takes place in photoreceptor cells, of which there are two main types: rods and cones. I will discuss phototransduction in rods, although the process is similar in cones.

In the dark, positively charged sodium ions flow into rod cells through ion channels that are activated by a substance called cyclic guanosine monophosphate, or cGMP. This influx of positively charged ions causes cells to remain in a depolarized state, leading to the continuous release of the neurotransmitter glutamate. Inside the rod cell there is a substance called rhodopsin, which is made up of a protein called opsin and a molecule called retinal, which is capable of absorbing light. When retinal absorbs light, its configuration changes, an event that prompts opsin to activate a protein called transducin. Transducin activates a type of enzyme known as a phosphodiesterase, which begins breaking down cGMP. As cGMP levels fall, the ion channels that are opened by cGMP begin to close. Thus, less sodium enters the cell and the cell becomes hyperpolarized due to potassium ions that regularly leave the cell. Consequently, glutamate release decreases. Strangely enough, this decrease in neurotransmitter release acts as a signal that a light stimulus is present. The rod cell returns to its normal state quickly when activated rhodopsin is inactivated, and a protein called arrestin subsequently binds to it. Arrestin blocks the ability of rhodopsin to activate transducin, which makes the cascade unable to continue. A complex process then restores retinal to its original configuration, making it ready to absorb light once again.

References:

Meister M, Tessier-Lavigne M. Low-Level Visual Processing: The Retina. In: Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, Siegelbaum SA, Hudspeth AJ, eds. Principles of Neural Science. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 2013.

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick P, Hall WC, Lamantia AS, Mooney RD, Platt ML, White LE, eds. Neuroscience. 6th ed. New York: Sinauer Associates; 2018.
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You explained my 50 min neuro lecture in 2 mins you’re the man!!!

drewb
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I'm a current US medical student, and love your videos as previews for my lectures. Keep up the great work, and thank you!

alexgardner
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Hands dow, one of the best channels on YouTube. Whoever this guy is, he is incredible and deserves all the good things life can offer. Fucking legend.

deussivenatura
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COMPLETED A 50 MIN LEC VIDEO IN LESS THAN 2 MIN. HATSS

siratbashair
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Great videos i'm around the 10 age area and using your videos to prepare for the brain bee. Your videos carried me through regional thanks to you I made it to nationals

sudhakaful
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Thanks for the video, I'm from Germany and I was looking for a video to explaim this topic in german, but didn't find a video that helped me to understand this. Yours did, tho, even tho I struggled with language a bit. Thanks and Greetings from Germany! :)

DaniKaesekuchen
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you put a transcript too, *cries a little* love u

imbabazi
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So comprehensive! Best video on internet today

shafaqtanveer
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2 minute Neuroscience is the one & only solution ❤

amashiherath
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exam in a few hours and this helped me so much thanks for that!

caro_owo
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This helped me with my medical physics independent research!

staphenW
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STELLAR job explaining this concept--thank you so much!

lakep
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it was hard to understand what was going on until i came across this video thank a ton dude

dermdoc
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This is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge this way. It’s bite sized, visual and I’m enjoying reading with the transcript.

rowenabisschoff
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I like the vid, thanks !

strangly enough
Maybe using a filter structure with a 'nerrowing tail to use with concentration change' like a ruller, you can generate a linear signal.

gidi
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My teacher spent 1 hour to talk about this, and I still don't understand. I comprehended after you explained it within 2 min.

turtle-mew
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Great video you explained in less than 2 minuts what would've taken me at least half an hour to understand

youssiftaza
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THIS IS AMAZING ! 👍 you just explained this topic in a few min
keep making vedios like this

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i saw transcript, had to subscribe <3

levi-xecu
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What about Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC)? Is there any way you can make a video about that too or explain it to me?:) Great vid btw

ahmedmonzernaimomran