Abstract
The photoreceptors of plant and animal cells, the chloroplasts and retinal rods and cones, are highly ordered lamellar structures which suggest properties of crystalline or quasi-crystalline nature. The number of lamellae are related to the number of pigment molecules, and provide sufficient space and surface area for the pigment molecules of the complex to orient as monomolecular layers. The photoreceptors can be solubilized in 1–2% aqueous digitonin; the digitonin micelles of these pigment-complexes possess structural and photochemical properties similar to those of the photoreceptors. It is suggested then, that the lamellar structure is an efficiency mechanism for light capture; it may also be a critical functioning device.
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