What is the role of photoreceptors in the visual system?

Photoreceptors in the visual system play a crucial role in converting light into electrical signals, which is essential for vision. There are two main types of photoreceptors: rods and cones. Rods are highly sensitive to light and enable vision in low-light conditions, while cones are responsible for detecting color and detail in brighter lights.

When light photons strike these photoreceptors, they trigger a biochemical process that results in the generation of an electrical signal. This signal is then transmitted to bipolar cells, ganglion cells, and eventually to the brain via the optic nerve, where it is interpreted as visual images.

Understanding the function of photoreceptors is fundamental because it highlights how our visual experience begins at the cellular level, demonstrating their pivotal role in transforming light stimuli into the electrical impulses that the brain interprets as vision.