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Melanopsin Photoreceptors

Meaning

Melanopsin Photoreceptors are a highly specialized class of light-sensitive cells, functionally distinct from the classical rods and cones, found within the mammalian retina that are primarily dedicated to regulating non-visual physiological responses to light. These intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) contain the photopigment melanopsin, which is maximally sensitive to blue-spectrum light. Their principal function is to transmit crucial light information directly to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the body’s master circadian clock, thereby synchronizing all internal biological rhythms. They are central to the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle and the rhythmic secretion of key hormones.