Modeling and simulation of phototransduction cascade in vertebrate rod photoreceptors

BACKGROUND: The activation of phototransduction cascade in rod photoreceptors has been well studied in literature, but there is a lack of a mature kinetic model structure covering both the activation and inactivation processes. METHODS: In this work, a kinetic model structure is developed to describe the major activation and inactivation processes in vertebrate rod photoreceptors with the electroretinogram (ERG) as output. Simulation was performed to validate developed model structure. RESULTS: The developed model structure could fit experimental data with small error. CONCLUSIONS: The result indicated that the developed model structure could show the inactivation process of phototransduction cascades in the rod photoreceptors.