Question

Iodopsin is a light sensitive (photosensitive) pigment and is present in the

• A. Rods
• B. Cones
• C. Neuroglia
• D. Bipolar cells

Answer 1

The correct option is B Cones

Rods and cones are used to process light, in a human eye, their number is estimated to be 5-7 million cones and 110-130 million rods. Cones have iodopsin and are found mainly in the central area of the retina (fovea), while rods containing rhodopsin are found in the peripheral retina. Cones sense colour and need more light than rods to work well. Cones are most helpful in the normal or bright light. There are 3 types of cones - red, green, and blue - to help you see different ranges of colour. Together, these cones sense combinations of light waves, that enable our eyes to see millions of colours. The light-sensitive photopigments are made of the protein opsin and the chromophore retinene. Bleaching of iodopsin in cones is similar to rhodopsin in rods, only rods contain a higher concentration of visual pigment than cones, so more light is needed to cause an action potential to be fired in cones ( a threshold for cones is higher than rods). In other words, rods are mainly used for dim light vision, cones for bright light vision.