Final answer:
The breakdown of rhodopsin, a visual pigment, produces opsin and retinal (all-trans-retinal), which are key in the visual cycle facilitating vision in low-light conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The products of the breakdown of the visual pigment rhodopsin are opsin and retinal. After rhodopsin interacts with light, it undergoes a conformational change due to photoisomerization. Specifically, the retinal part of the molecule changes its structure from 11-cis-retinal to all-trans-retinal, splitting the molecule into opsin and retinal. The all-trans-retinal is then reduced to trans retinol which later isomerizes into cis-retinol and recombines with opsin to regenerate rhodopsin. This cycle is vital for vision, especially in low-light conditions where rod cells are highly active.