arrestinassociated

Arrestins are a family of proteins that play a crucial role in the regulation of visual signal transduction. They are named for their ability to arrest (stop) the phototransduction cascade in rod and cone photoreceptors, which are the cells responsible for vision in the retina. Arrestins are typically expressed in the dark state of photoreceptors and are activated by the binding of light-activated rhodopsin or cone opsins. This activation leads to the dissociation of arrestins from the opsins, allowing the phototransduction cascade to proceed. Once the cascade is complete, arrestins are re-associated with the opsins, effectively turning off the signal and preparing the photoreceptor for the next round of light detection. Arrestins are also involved in the regulation of other G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in various tissues, highlighting their broad regulatory functions beyond vision. The arrestin family includes arrestin 1, arrestin 2, arrestin 3, and arrestin 4, each with distinct tissue distributions and functions. Mutations in arrestin genes have been linked to various visual disorders, underscoring the importance of these proteins in maintaining normal vision.