Chromophores in the extraretinal photoreceptor (pineal organ) of teleosts.
We have demonstrated, using a highly sensitive high performance liquid chromatography technique, that the pineal organ (epiphysis cerebri) of the rainbow trout contains both 11-cis-retinal and 11-cis-3-dehydroretinal. These compounds were assumed to be the chromophores of pineal photopigments, because they were isomerized to all-trans forms by light-adaptation. The quantity of chromophores in the dark-adapted pineal organ was extremely low (9.2-29.1 pmol/pineal), corresponding to approximately 1/300-1/1000 of that of the retina.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D007536:Isomerism; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000032:analysis*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000032:analysis*; D012172:Retinaldehyde / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D012487:Salmonidae / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014337:Trout / Q000502:physiology*
C017184:dehydroretinal; D012172:Retinaldehyde