Visual Pigment Fluorescence

Abstract

The fluorescence of cattle rod outer segments (dried) and of rhodopsin in solution lies in the range of 575 to 600 millimicrons with a quantum efficiency of 0.005 if excitation is in the visible band near 500 millimicrons. The emission is abolished by bleaching at -196 degrees C but can be reversibly regenerated by irradiation with light of longer wavelength (600 millimicrons). This behavior reflects the known interconversion of rhodopsin to prelumirhodopsin at this temperature.