Image: Photoreceptor cell

Description: The rod and cone photoreceptors signal their absorption of photons via a decrease in the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate to bipolar cells at its axon terminal. Since the photoreceptor is depolarized in the dark, a high amount of glutamate is being released to bipolar cells in the dark. Absorption of a photon will hyperpolarize the photoreceptor and therefore result in the release of less glutamate at the presynaptic terminal to the bipolar cell. When glutamate binds to an ionotropic receptor, the bipolar cell will depolarize on the other hand, binding of glutamate to a metabotropic receptor results in a hyperpolarization, so this bipolar cell will depolarize to light as less glutamate is released.
Title: Photoreceptor cell
Credit: http://www.scientificanimations.com/wiki-image
Author: www.scientificanimations.com
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