2016 Volume 56 Issue 1 Pages 018-022
The first step of our vision is initiated when photons are absorbed by the subcellular organelle of photoreceptor neuron called outer segment. Outer segment incorporates phototransduction proteins and structural constituents for its continuous renewal. The author and his colleagues recently developed a photoconversion technique, which allowed monitoring specific protein transport and renewal of outer segment structures. Moreover, quantitative microscopy was harnessed to understand the roles of transport signals in the prototypical ciliary GPCR, rhodopsin. This review summarizes our recent findings on the process of outer segment morphogenesis, membrane protein trafficking and compartmentalization in vertebrate rod photoreceptors.
