The quantity of rhodopsin in young human eyes

Curr Eye Res. 1991 Oct;10(10):977-82. doi: 10.3109/02713689109020334.

Abstract

The rhodopsin content of 20 eyes of infants and children ages 27 weeks gestation to 8 years (11 donors) was assayed and compared to the rhodopsin content of adults (36 eyes; 19 donors). Infants have significantly lower rhodopsin contents than adults. On average the rhodopsin content of young infants is about a third of adults. Previously reported full-field b-wave sensitivity of young infants is about 0.5 log units, that is about a third, less than adults. Thus, as previously found in infant rats, photon capture by rhodopsin appears to limit the dark adapted sensitivity of young human infants.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aging / physiology
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Fetus
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mice
  • Pigment Epithelium of Eye / chemistry
  • Pigment Epithelium of Eye / embryology
  • Pigment Epithelium of Eye / growth & development
  • Rats
  • Retina / chemistry*
  • Retina / embryology
  • Retina / growth & development
  • Rhodopsin / analysis*

Substances

  • Rhodopsin