Biophotons Contribute to Retinal Dark Noise

Overview

Journal Neurosci Bull

Specialty Neurology

Date 2016 Apr 10

PMID 27059222

Citations 4

Authors

Zehua Li

Jiapei Dai

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The discovery of dark noise in retinal photoreceptors resulted in a long-lasting controversy over its origin and the underlying mechanisms. Here, we used a novel ultra-weak biophoton imaging system (UBIS) to detect biophotonic activity (emission) under dark conditions in rat and bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) retinas in vitro. We found a significant temperature-dependent increase in biophotonic activity that was completely blocked either by removing intracellular and extracellular Ca(2+) together or inhibiting phosphodiesterase 6. These findings suggest that the photon-like component of discrete dark noise may not be caused by a direct contribution of the thermal activation of rhodopsin, but rather by an indirect thermal induction of biophotonic activity, which then activates the retinal chromophore of rhodopsin. Therefore, this study suggests a possible solution regarding the thermal activation energy barrier for discrete dark noise, which has been debated for almost half a century.

Citing Articles

The mechanism of photon-like dark noise in rod photoreceptors.

Pugh Jr E J Gen Physiol. 2019; 151(7):875-877.

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Rejection of the biophoton hypothesis on the origin of photoreceptor dark noise.

Govardovskii V, Astakhova L, Rotov A, Firsov M J Gen Physiol. 2019; 151(7):887-897.

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Biophotonic Activity and Transmission Mediated by Mutual Actions of Neurotransmitters are Involved in the Origin and Altered States of Consciousness.

Chai W, Han Z, Wang Z, Li Z, Xiao F, Sun Y Neurosci Bull. 2018; 34(3):534-538.

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Human high intelligence is involved in spectral redshift of biophotonic activities in the brain.

Wang Z, Wang N, Li Z, Xiao F, Dai J Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016; 113(31):8753-8.

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