<Tr> <Th> NeuroLex ID </Th> <Td> sao226523927 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> A photoreceptor cell is a specialized type of sensory neuron found in the retina that is capable of visual phototransduction . The great biological importance of photoreceptors is that they convert light (visible electromagnetic radiation) into signals that can stimulate biological processes . To be more specific, photoreceptor proteins in the cell absorb photons, triggering a change in the cell's membrane potential . </P> <P> There are currently three known types of photoreceptor cells in mammalian eyes: rods, cones, and photosensitive retinal ganglion cells . The two classic photoreceptor cells are rods and cones, each contributing information used by the visual system to form a representation of the visual world, sight . The rods are narrower than the cones and distributed differently across the retina, but the chemical process in each that supports phototransduction is similar . A third class of mammalian photoreceptor cell was discovered during the 1990s: the photosensitive ganglion cells . These cells do not contribute to sight directly, but are thought to support circadian rhythms and pupillary reflex . </P>

This type of receptor is found in the eye