INFORMATION PROCESSING IN THE RETINA, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COLOR CODING.
Abstract
Intracellular recordings from single photoreceptors of Necturus maculosus and Gekko gekko reveal that the response to light is a hyperpolarization accompanied by a resistance increase. Passive hyperpolarization of the membrane by extrinsic current does not change the membrane resistance but makes the hyperpolarizing response to light larger. By applying a depolarizing current, the response is made smaller, or even inverted if the current is strong enough. It is suggested that the vertebrate photoreceptor is depolarized in darkness and repolarized in light. This new viewpoint accounts for the unusual polarity of the ERG component ascribed to the receptors. Some observations on single cells in the inner nuclear layer of the carp retina are also outlined in this report. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0681224
Entities
People
- Tsuneo Tomita
Organizations
- Keio University