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photoreceptor

 
Dictionary: pho·to·re·cep·tor   ('tō-rĭ-sĕp'tər) pronunciation
n.
A nerve ending, cell, or group of cells specialized to sense or receive light.


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Medical Dictionary: pho·to·re·cep·tor
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('tō-rĭ-sĕp'tər)
n.

A nerve ending, cell, or group of cells specialized to sense or receive light.

Veterinary Dictionary: photoreceptor
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A nerve end organ or receptor sensitive to light. In the retina of the eye, the outer limbs of rods and cones make up the photoreceptor layer.

Wikipedia: Photoreceptor
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Photoreceptor can refer to:

In anatomy/cell biology:

  • Photoreceptor cell: a photosensitive cell in the retina of vertebrate eyes
  • Simple eyes in arthropods (Ocellus), photoreceptor organ ("simple eye") of invertebrates often comprised of a few sensory cells and a single lens
  • Eyespot apparatus (microbial photoreceptor): the photoreceptor organelle of a unicellular organism that allows for phototaxis

In biochemistry:

  • Photoreceptor protein: a chromoprotein that responds to being exposed to a certain wavelength of light by initiating a signal transduction cascade
  • Photopigment: an unstable pigment that undergoes a physical or chemical change upon absorbing a particular wavelength of light; also see

In technology:

  • Photodetector or photosensor: a device that detects light by capturing photons

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Photoreceptor" Read more