retinene
Noun 1. A light-sensitive pigment in the retina: Retinene is either of two yellow to red retinal pigments (retinal or dehydroretinal) formed from rhodopsin by the action of light. It is a crucial chemical in the visual cycle, involved in converting light into nerve signals.
Retinene is a specialized biochemical term. It is used almost exclusively in scientific contexts related to vision, ophthalmology, and biochemistry. * The scientist studied how retinene changes its structure when exposed to light. * A deficiency in Vitamin A can affect the regeneration of retinene in the eye.
- Retinene is synonymous with "retinal": In modern biochemistry, "retinal" is the more commonly used term for this molecule. "Retinene" is often considered an older name.
- The visual cycle involves the isomerization of 11-cis-retinal (or 11-cis-retinene) to all-trans-retinal.
- Retinal (n): The contemporary and more precise term for retinene. It refers specifically to the aldehyde form of Vitamin A.
- Rhodopsin (n): The visual pigment in rod cells, from which retinene is derived when light strikes it.
- Photopsin (n): The protein component in cone cells that binds with retinene to form color-sensitive pigments.
- Retinal
- Retinaldehyde (a more formal chemical name)
The term "retinene" historically referred to two related molecules: 1. Retinene₁: Now called retinal or retinaldehyde, associated with vision in most terrestrial vertebrates. 2. Retinene₂: Now called 3,4-didehydroretinal, associated with vision in many freshwater fish and some amphibians.
- either of two yellow to red retinal pigments formed from rhodopsin by the action of light