Biomaterial Database

Visual pigment levels in retinitis pigmentosa. 1983

C M Kemp, and D J Faulkner, and S G Jacobson

A broad-field imaging fundus reflectometer was used to determine the levels of visual pigment and their relationship to rod-mediated sensitivity in 3 patients with autosomal dominantly inherited retinitis pigmentosa. In each case the loss of sensitivity could be accounted for wholly by the decreased probability of light absorption by the rod photoreceptors resulting from the decreased levels of rhodopsin they contained. In contrast, in a subject whose night blindness was due to vitamin A deficiency, the large sensitivity loss was accompanied by a relatively small reduction in the rhodopsin level.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D005260	Female		Females
D005654	Fundus Oculi	The concave interior of the eye, consisting of the retina, the choroid, the sclera, the optic disk, and blood vessels, seen by means of the ophthalmoscope. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Fundus of the Eye,Ocular Fundus,Fundus, Ocular
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012168	Retinal Pigments	Photosensitive protein complexes of varied light absorption properties which are expressed in the PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS. They are OPSINS conjugated with VITAMIN A-based chromophores. Chromophores capture photons of light, leading to the activation of opsins and a biochemical cascade that ultimately excites the photoreceptor cells.	Retinal Photoreceptor Pigment,Retinal Pigment,Visual Pigment,Visual Pigments,Retinal Photoreceptor Pigments,Photoreceptor Pigment, Retinal,Photoreceptor Pigments, Retinal,Pigment, Retinal,Pigment, Retinal Photoreceptor,Pigment, Visual,Pigments, Retinal,Pigments, Retinal Photoreceptor,Pigments, Visual
D012174	Retinitis Pigmentosa	Hereditary, progressive degeneration of the retina due to death of ROD PHOTORECEPTORS initially and subsequent death of CONE PHOTORECEPTORS. It is characterized by deposition of pigment in the retina.	Pigmentary Retinopathy,Tapetoretinal Degeneration,Pigmentary Retinopathies,Retinopathies, Pigmentary,Retinopathy, Pigmentary,Tapetoretinal Degenerations
D012243	Rhodopsin	A purplish-red, light-sensitive pigment found in RETINAL ROD CELLS of most vertebrates. It is a complex consisting of a molecule of ROD OPSIN and a molecule of 11-cis retinal (RETINALDEHYDE). Rhodopsin exhibits peak absorption wavelength at about 500 nm.	Visual Purple
D012684	Sensory Thresholds	The minimum amount of stimulus energy necessary to elicit a sensory response.	Sensory Threshold,Threshold, Sensory,Thresholds, Sensory
D014785	Vision, Ocular	The process in which light signals are transformed by the PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS into electrical signals which can then be transmitted to the brain.	Vision,Light Signal Transduction, Visual,Ocular Vision,Visual Light Signal Transduction,Visual Phototransduction,Visual Transduction,Phototransduction, Visual,Transduction, Visual
D014802	Vitamin A Deficiency	A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of VITAMIN A in the diet, characterized by NIGHT BLINDNESS and other ocular manifestations such as dryness of the conjunctiva and later of the cornea (XEROPHTHALMIA). Vitamin A deficiency is a very common problem worldwide, particularly in developing countries as a consequence of famine or shortages of vitamin A-rich foods. In the United States it is found among the urban poor, the elderly, alcoholics, and patients with malabsorption. (From Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th ed, p1179)	Deficiency, Vitamin A,Deficiencies, Vitamin A,Vitamin A Deficiencies
D019721	Ophthalmoscopes	Devices for examining the interior of the eye, permitting the clear visualization of the structures of the eye at any depth. (UMDNS, 1999)	Funduscopes,Funduscope,Ophthalmoscope