OPN1SW : opsin 1, short wave sensitive
Description
The OPN1SW (opsin 1, short wave sensitive) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 7.
The OPN1SW gene provides instructions for creating a protein essential for normal color vision. This protein resides in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The retina contains two types of light receptor cells: rods and cones. Rods function in low light, while cones provide vision in bright light, including color perception. There are three types of cones, each containing a specific photopigment (an opsin) that is most sensitive to particular wavelengths of light. The OPN1SW gene produces an opsin that is most sensitive to blue/violet light. Cones containing this pigment are known as S cones or short-wavelength-sensitive cones. When light strikes an S cone, the photopigment triggers a series of chemical reactions that change the cell's electrical charge, sending a signal to the brain. The brain integrates input from all three cone types to generate normal color vision.
OPN1SW is also known as BCP, BOP, CBT.
