biofluorescence
Noun
Meaning
biofluorescence (uncountable)
The emission of previously absorbed light by fluorescent proteins in a living organism.
Related terms
Examples
Biologically functional fluorescence is found in the photic zone, where there is not only enough light to cause biofluorescence, but enough light for other organisms to detect it.
Some biofluorescence in the aphotic zone is merely a byproduct of the organism’s tissue biochemistry and does not have a functional purpose.
Unlike with biofluorescence, here the electron retains stability, emitting light that continues to “glow-in-the-dark” even long after the stimulating light source has been removed.