fototranszdukción

Fototransdukció is the biological process by which light energy is converted into electrical signals within a cell. This phenomenon is crucial for sensory perception, particularly vision in animals and photosynthesis in plants. In the visual system, photoreceptor cells in the retina, such as rods and cones, contain light-sensitive pigments like rhodopsin. When light strikes these pigments, it causes a conformational change that initiates a cascade of biochemical reactions. This cascade ultimately leads to a change in the cell's membrane potential, generating an electrical signal. This signal is then transmitted through the nervous system to the brain, where it is interpreted as vision. In plants, phototransduction is central to photosynthesis. Light energy captured by chlorophyll molecules drives the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. This process involves complex light-dependent and light-independent reactions, with phototransduction playing a key role in initiating and regulating these energy transformations. The efficiency and specificity of phototransduction mechanisms allow organisms to respond to a wide range of light intensities and wavelengths, enabling vital functions such as navigation, communication, and energy production.