title: Rods, cones and calcium.
abstract: A transduction cascade in the outer segments of vertebrate photoreceptors amplifies the visual signal, resulting in the metabolism of cGMP and the closure of ionic channels. The intracellular calcium concentration declines after a light response, and this decline is the key regulator responsible for controlling the gain of the transduction cascade. Calcium turnover in the outer segment is determined by three processes: influx through light-sensitive channels; buffering within the outer segment; and extrusion by a Na/Ca,K exchange mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: McNaughton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium