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The spatial distribution of currents in the receptor layer of the frog retina

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Abstract

Steady state patterns of currents flowing extracellularly in the receptor layer of the frog retina are used to work out an electrical model of vertebrate rods. The model can be thought of as a linear network consisting of resitances and current sources. The model predicts the axial spread of currents along the outside of the receptors. In addition, it predicts membrane voltages in light and darkness. If the dark-adapted receptors are assumed to have a uniform membrane with a specific resistance of 500 Ω·cm2, a single rod gives rise to an extracellular dark current of about 200 pa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Physiologie, Justus Liebig-Universität, Lahn, Germany

    W. Ehrhardt & Ch. Baumann

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  1. W. Ehrhardt
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  2. Ch. Baumann
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Ehrhardt, W., Baumann, C. The spatial distribution of currents in the receptor layer of the frog retina. Biol. Cybernetics 25, 155–162 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365212

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365212

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