11-cis-retinaldehyde

chemical compound

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June 24, 2026

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11-cis-retinaldehyde is a crucial chemical compound derived from vitamin A, playing a vital role in vision. It is a component of rhodopsin, a light-sensitive pigment found in the rod cells of the eye. When light strikes the retina, 11-cis-retinaldehyde undergoes a change in shape, converting to all-trans-retinaldehyde. This transformation activates rhodopsin, initiating a cascade that converts light energy into electrical signals sent to the brain. This process is essential for vision, particularly in dim light conditions. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to a lack of 11-cis-retinaldehyde, resulting in night blindness.1234

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rod
…chemical derived from vitamin A, 11-cis-retinaldehyde. Photons of light entering the eye cause the 11-cis-retinaldehyde to undergo isomerization (a change in configuration), forming all-trans-retinaldehyde. This isomerization activates the opsin protein, which then interacts with and activates a small protein called transducin. The association of opsin with transducin couples the external…
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…chemical derived from vitamin A, 11-cis-retinaldehyde. Photons of light entering the eye cause the 11-cis-retinaldehyde to undergo isomerization (a change in configuration), forming all-trans-retinaldehyde. This isomerization activates the opsin protein, which then interacts with and activates a small protein called transducin. The association of opsin with transducin couples the external…
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photoreception
Photopigments
…reconfiguring the molecule from the 11-cis to the all-trans form. This in turn triggers a molecular transduction cascade, resulting in the closure of sodium channels in the membrane and hyperpolarization (increase in negativity) of the cell. Retinal then detaches from opsin, is regenerated to the 11-cis state in the cells…
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…reconfiguring the molecule from the 11-cis to the all-trans form. This in turn triggers a molecular transduction cascade, resulting in the closure of sodium channels in the membrane and hyperpolarization (increase in negativity) of the cell. Retinal then detaches from opsin, is regenerated to the 11-cis state in the cells…
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