MECHANISMS SUBSERVING COLOR CODING IN THE VERTEBRATE RETINA.
Abstract
Intracellular recording from single cones in the carp (Cyprinus carpio) is an attempt to clarify the mechanism of color information processing in vertebrate photoresceptors. As the only means to permit the intracellular recording, the retina detached from the pigment epithelium is jolted at a high acceleration against a vertically held, slowly advancing micropipette. The new model of jolting device is described. Whenever a potential identified as a single cone potential is found, the visible spectrum adjusted to equal quantum flux is scanned by means of a photostimulator especially built for this experiment and the single cone spectral response curve is obtained. Statistical analysis of 142 records selected out of hundreds, based solely on the greatest signal-to-noise ratio, reveals three groups of cones; the red cones (74%) with the average peaking wavelength at 611 millimicrons, green cones (10%) at 529 millimicrons, and blue cones (16%) at 462 millimicrons. These peaking wavelengths are in close accord with those of single cone absorption spectra measured by Marks and MacNichol in the goldfish by a microspectrophotometer. It is strongly suggested that Young's trichromatic theory applies at the photoreceptor level in the vertebrate. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0644493
Entities
People
- Tsuneo Tomita
Organizations
- Keio University