Photoinhibition follows simple first-order kinetics if measured from a lincomycin-treated leaf, cyanobacterial or algal cells, or isolated thylakoid membranes in which concurrent repair does not disturb the kinetics. Data from the group of W. S. Chow indicate that in leaves of pepper (Capsicum annuum), the first-order pattern is replaced by a pseudo-equilibrium even if the repair reaction is blocked. The deviation has been explained by assuming that photoinhibited PSII centers protect the remaining active ones.
Both visible and ultraviolet light cause photoinhibition, ultraviolet wavelengths being much more damaging. Some researchers consider ultraviolet and visible light induced photoinhibition as a two different reactions, while others stress the similarities between the inhibition reactions occurring under different wavelength ranges.