The lipid phase of the photoreceptor outer segment membrane is essential to the photon
capturing and signaling functions of rhodopsin. Rearrangement of phospholipids in the
bilayer accompanies the formation of the active intermediates of rhodopsin following photon
absorption. Furthermore, evidence for the formation of a condensation product between the
photolyzed chromophore all-trans-retinal and phosphatidylethanolamine indicates that
phospholipid may also participate in the movement of the retinoid in the membrane. The …