Abstract
Solitary rod inner segments were obtained by enzymatic dissociation of the tiger salamander retina. Individual membrane currents were studied with the single-electrode voltage-clamp technique and with pharmacological agents. Extracellular TEA blocked an outward current which was activated, by depolarization and carried predominantly by potassium ions. Extracellular caesium blocked an inward current which was activated by hyperpolarization and carried by sodium and potassium ions. An inward calcium current was activated by depolarization and could be blocked by extracellular cobalt. Intracellular accumulation of calcium activates two other currents: one is blocked by intracellular caesium and is most likely a calcium- activated potassium current; the current remaining in the presence of intracellular caesium is carried, in part, by chloride. The five currents described can all be activated in the range of voltages in which rod photoreceptors normally operate.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Attwell, D., & Wilson, M. (1980). Behavior of the rod network in the tiger salamander retina mediated by membrane properties of individual rod, J. Physiol., 309, 287–315.
Bader, C.R., Maeish, P.R. & Schwartz, E.A. (1978). Responses to light of solitary rod photoreceptors isolated from the tiger salamander retina, Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 75, 3507–3511.
Bader, C.R., MacLeish, P.R. & Schwartz, E.A. (1979). A voltage- clamp study of the light response in solitary rods of the tiger salamander, J. Physiol., 296, 1–26.
Baylor, D.A. & Fuortes, M.G.F. (1970). Electrical responses of single cones in the retina of the turtle, J. Physiol., 207, 77–92.
Baylor, D.A., Fuortes, M.G.F. & O’Bryan, P.M. (1971). Receptive fields of cones in the retina of the turtle, J. Physiol., 214, 265–294.
Baylor, D.A. & Hodgkin, A.L. (1973). Detection and resolution of visual stimuli by turtle photoreceptors, J. Physiol., 234, 163–198.
Baylor, D.A., Lamb, T.D. & Yau, K.-W. (1979). The membrane current of single rod outer segments, J. Physiol., 288, 589–611.
Brehm, P., Eckert, R. & Tillotson, D. (1980). Calcium-mediated inactivation of calcium current in Paramecium, J. Physiol., 306, 193–203.
Brown, J.E. & Pinto, L.H. (1974). Ionic mechanism for the photoreceptor potential of the retina of Bufo marinus, J. Physiol., 236, 575–591.
Capovilla, M., Cervetto, L. & Torre, V. (1980). Effects of changing external potassium and chloride concentrations on the photoresponses of Bufo bufo rods, J. Physiol., 307, 529–551.
Cervetto, L. & Piccolino, M. (1974). Synaptic transmission between photoreceptors and horizontal cells in the turtle retina. Science, 183, 417–418.
Copenhagen, D.R. & Owen, W.G. (1976). Functional characteristics of lateral interactions between rods in the retina of the snapping turtle, J. Physiol., 259, 251–282.
Detwiler, P.B., Hodgkin, A.L. & Maaughton, P.A. (1978). A surprising property of the electrical spread in the network of rods in the turtle retina. Nature, (Lond.), 274, 562–565.
Dunlap, K. & Fischbach, G.D. (1978). Neurotransmitters decrease the calcium component of sensory neurone action potentials, Nature (Lond.), 276, 837–839.
Fain, G.L., Gold, G.H. & Dowling, J.E. (1975). Receptor coupling in the toad retina. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol., 40, 547–561.
Fain, G.L., Quandt, F.N. & Gershenfeld, H.M. (1977). Calcium-dependent regenerative responses in rods. Nature, Lond., 269, 707–710.
Fain, G.L., Quandt, F.N., Bastian, B.L. & Gerschenfeld, H.M. (1978). Contribution of a caesium-sensitive conductance increase to rod response. Nature, Lond., 272, 467–469.
Fain, G.L., Gerschenfeld, H.M. & Quandt, F.N. (1980). Calcium spikes in rods, J. Physiol., 303, 495–513.
Fain, G.L. & Quandt, F.N. (1980). The effects of tetraethylammonium and cobalt ions on responses to extrinsic current in toad rods, J. Physiol., 303, 515–533.
Fuortes, M.G.F., Schwartz, E.A. & Simon, E.J. (1973). Colour-dependence of cone responses in the turtle retina, J. Physiol., 234, 199–216.
Hagins, W.A., Penn, R.D. & Yoshikami, S. (1970). Dark current and photocurrent in rat retinal rods, Biophys. J., 10, 380–412.
Hagiwara, S., Miyazaki, S. & Rosenthal, N.P. (1976). Potassium current and the effect of caesiimi on this current during anomalous rectification of the egg cell membrane of a starfish, J. Gen. Physiol., 67, 621–638.
Hagiwara, S. & Nakajima, S. (1966). Effects of the intracellular Ca ion concentration upon the excitability of the muscle fiber membrane of a barnacle, J. Gen. Physiol., 49, 807–818.
Horowicz, P., Gage, P.W. & Eisenberg, R.S. (1968). The role of the electrochemical gradient in determining potassium fluxes in frog striated muscle, J. Gen. Physiol., 51, 193S-203S.
Kaneko, A. & Shimazaki, H. (1976). Synaptic transmission from photoreceptors to bipolar and horizontal cells in the carp retina. Cold Spring Harb. Quant. Biol., 40, 537–546.
Kostyuk, P.G. & Krishtal, O.A. (1977). Effects of calcium and calcium-chelating agents on the inward and outward current in the membrane of molluscan neurones, J. Physiol., 270, 569–580.
Lasansky, A. (1981). Synaptic action mediatiiag cone responses to annular illumination in the retina of the larval tiger salamander, J. Physiol., 310, 205–214.
Meech, R.W. (1978). Calcium-dependent potassium activation in nervous tissues, Ann. Rev. Biophys. Bioeng., 7, 1–18.
Miyazaki, S., Takahashi, K., Tsuda, K. & Yoshii, M. (1974). Analysis of non-linearity observed in the current-voltage relation of the tunicate embryo, J. Physiol., 238, 55–77.
O’Bryan, P.M. (1973). Properties of the depolarizing synaptic potential evoked by peripheral illumination in cones of the turtle retina, J. Physiol., 235, 207–223.
Pellmar, T.C. (1981). Transmitter control of voltage-dependent currents. Life Sci., 28, 2199–2205.
Piccolino, M. & Gerschenfeld, H.M. (1977). Lateral interactions in the outer plexiform layer of turtle retinas after atropine block of horizontal cells. Nature, Lond., 268, 259–261.
Reuter, H. & Scholz, H. (1977 a). A study of the ion selectivity and the kinetic properties of the calcium-dependent slow inward current in mammalian cardiac muscle, J. Physiol., 262, 17–47.
Reuter, H. & Scholz, H. (1977 b). The regulation of the calcium conductance of cardiac muscle by adrenaline, J. Physiol., 264, 49–62.
Schwartz, E.A. (1976). Electrical properties of the rod syncytium in the retina of the turtle, J. Physiol., 257, 379–406.
Sillman, A.J., Ito, H. & Tomita, T. (1969). Studies on the mass receptor potential of the isolated frog retina. II. On the basis of the ionic mechanism. Vision Res., 9, 1443–1451.
Thomas, R.C. (1972). Electrogenic sodium pump in nerve and muscle cells, Physiol. Rev., 52, 563–594.
Tillotson, D. & Horn, R. (1978). Inactivation without facilitation of calcium conductance in caesium-loaded neurones of Aplysia, Nature, Lond., 273, 312–314.
Tillotson, D. (1979). Inactivation of Ca conductance dependent on entry of Ca ions in moluscan neurones, Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 76, 1497–1500.
Tomita, T. (1965). Electrophysiological study of the mechanisms subserving color coding in the fish retina. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol., 30, 559–566;
Trifonov, Y.A. (1968). Study of synaptic transmission between photoreceptor and horizonatal cell by electrical stimulation of the retina, Biofizica, 13, 809–817.
Werblin, F.S. (1979). Time- and voltage-dependent ionic components of the rod response, J. Physiol., 294, 613–626.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bader, C.R., Bertrand, D. (1984). Ionic Currents Activated by Voltage and by Intracellular Calcium: A Voltage Clamp Study in Solitary Vertebrate Photoreceptors. In: Borsellino, A., Cervetto, L. (eds) Photoreceptors. NATO Asi Series, vol 75. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9382-9_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9382-9_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-9384-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-9382-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive