HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Baylor, D A Articles by Schnapf, J L Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Baylor, D A Articles by Schnapf, J L

Visual transduction in rods of the cynomolgus monkey, Macaca fascicularis, was studied by recording membrane current from single outer segments projecting from small pieces of retina. Light flashes evoked transient outward-going photocurrents with saturating amplitudes of up to 34 pA. A flash causing twenty to fifty photoisomerizations gave a response of half the saturating amplitude. The response-stimulus relation was of the form 1-e-x where x is flash strength. The response to a dim flash usually had a time to peak of 150-250 ms and resembled the impulse response of a series of six low-pass filters. From the average spectral sensitivity of ten rods the rhodopsin was estimated to have a peak absorption near 491 nm. The spectral sensitivity of the rods was in good agreement with the average human scotopic visibility curve determined by Crawford (1949), when the human curve was corrected for lens absorption and self-screening of rhodopsin. Fluctuations in the photocurrent evoked by dim lights were consistent with a quantal event about 0.7 pA in peak amplitude. A steady light causing about 100 photoisomerizations s-1 reduced the flash sensitivity to half the dark-adapted value. At higher background levels the rod rapidly saturated. These results support the idea that dim background light desensitizes human scotopic vision by a mechanism central to the rod outer segments while scotopic saturation may occur within the outer segments. Recovery of the photocurrent after bright flashes was marked by quantized step-like events. The events had the properties expected if bleached rhodopsin in the disks occasionally caused an abrupt blockage of the dark current over about one-twentieth of the length of the outer segment. It is suggested that superposition of these events after bleaching may contribute to the threshold elevation measured psychophysically. The current in darkness showed random fluctuations which disappeared in bright light. The continuous component of the noise had a variance of about 0.03 pA2 and a power spectrum that fell to half near 3 Hz. A second component, consisting of discrete events resembling single-photon responses, was estimated to occur at a rate of 0.006 s-1. It is suggested that the continuous component of the noise may be removed from scotopic vision by a thresholding operation near the rod output.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Xu, P. Sulaiman, R. M. Feddersen, J. Liu, R. G. Smith, and N. Vardi Retinal ON Bipolar Cells Express a New PCP2 Splice Variant That Accelerates the Light Response J. Neurosci., September 3, 2008; 28(36): 8873 - 8884. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Bisegna, G. Caruso, D. Andreucci, L. Shen, V. V. Gurevich, H. E. Hamm, and E. DiBenedetto Diffusion of the Second Messengers in the Cytoplasm Acts as a Variability Suppressor of the Single Photon Response in Vertebrate Phototransduction Biophys. J., May 1, 2008; 94(9): 3363 - 3383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Ala-Laurila, K. Donner, R. K. Crouch, and M. C. Cornwall Chromophore switch from 11-cis-dehydroretinal (A2) to 11-cis-retinal (A1) decreases dark noise in salamander red rods J. Physiol., November 15, 2007; 585(1): 57 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Okawa and A. P. Sampath Optimization of Single-Photon Response Transmission at the Rod-to-Rod Bipolar Synapse Physiology, August 1, 2007; 22(4): 279 - 286. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Sakurai, A. Onishi, H. Imai, O. Chisaka, Y. Ueda, J. Usukura, K. Nakatani, and Y. Shichida Physiological Properties of Rod Photoreceptor Cells in Green-sensitive Cone Pigment Knock-in Mice J. Gen. Physiol., July 1, 2007; 130(1): 21 - 40. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Chen, G. Shi, F. A. Concepcion, G. Xie, D. Oprian, and J. Chen Stable Rhodopsin/Arrestin Complex Leads to Retinal Degeneration in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa. J. Neurosci., November 15, 2006; 26(46): 11929 - 11937. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. He, B. V. Bui, and A. J. Vingrys The Rate of Functional Recovery from Acute IOP Elevation Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., November 1, 2006; 47(11): 4872 - 4880. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Schein and K. M. Ahmad Efficiency of Synaptic Transmission of Single-Photon Events from Rod Photoreceptor to Rod Bipolar Dendrite Biophys. J., November 1, 2006; 91(9): 3257 - 3267. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. H. Tsang, M. L. Woodruff, C.-K. Chen, C. Y. Yamashita, M. C. Cilluffo, A. L. Rao, D. B. Farber, and G. L. Fain GAP-independent termination of photoreceptor light response by excess gamma subunit of the cGMP-phosphodiesterase. J. Neurosci., April 26, 2006; 26(17): 4472 - 4480. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. A. Dunn, T. Doan, A. P. Sampath, and F. Rieke Controlling the Gain of Rod-Mediated Signals in the Mammalian Retina J. Neurosci., April 12, 2006; 26(15): 3959 - 3970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Nikonov, R. Kholodenko, J. Lem, and E. N. Pugh Jr. Physiological Features of the S- and M-cone Photoreceptors of Wild-type Mice from Single-cell Recordings J. Gen. Physiol., March 27, 2006; 127(4): 359 - 374. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Burns, A. Mendez, C.-K. Chen, A. Almuete, N. Quillinan, M. I. Simon, D. A. Baylor, and J. Chen Deactivation of Phosphorylated and Nonphosphorylated Rhodopsin by Arrestin Splice Variants J. Neurosci., January 18, 2006; 26(3): 1036 - 1044. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. W. Shi, J. Chen, F. Concepcion, K. Motamedchaboki, P. Marjoram, R. Langen, and J. Chen Light Causes Phosphorylation of Nonactivated Visual Pigments in Intact Mouse Rod Photoreceptor Cells J. Biol. Chem., December 16, 2005; 280(50): 41184 - 41191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. A. Hancock, C. Guidry, R. W. Read, E. L. Ready, and T. W. Kraft Acute Aminoglycoside Retinal Toxicity In Vivo and In Vitro Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., December 1, 2005; 46(12): 4804 - 4808. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Schein and K. M. Ahmad A Clockwork Hypothesis: Synaptic Release by Rod Photoreceptors Must Be Regular Biophys. J., December 1, 2005; 89(6): 3931 - 3949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. P. Hornstein, J. Verweij, P. H. Li, and J. L. Schnapf Gap-Junctional Coupling and Absolute Sensitivity of Photoreceptors in Macaque Retina J. Neurosci., November 30, 2005; 25(48): 11201 - 11209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S Nymark, H Heikkinen, C Haldin, K Donner, and A Koskelainen Light responses and light adaptation in rat retinal rods at different temperatures J. Physiol., September 15, 2005; 567(3): 923 - 938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Stockman, D. J Plummer, and E. D Montag Spectrally opponent inputs to the human luminance pathway: slow +M and -L cone inputs revealed by intense long-wavelength adaptation J. Physiol., July 1, 2005; 566(1): 61 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Stockman and D. J Plummer Spectrally opponent inputs to the human luminance pathway: slow +L and -M cone inputs revealed by low to moderate long-wavelength adaptation J. Physiol., July 1, 2005; 566(1): 77 - 91. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Holcman and J. I. Korenbrot The Limit of Photoreceptor Sensitivity: Molecular Mechanisms of Dark Noise in Retinal Cones J. Gen. Physiol., May 31, 2005; 125(6): 641 - 660. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ramanathan, P. B. Detwiler, A. M. Sengupta, and B. I. Shraiman G-Protein-Coupled Enzyme Cascades Have Intrinsic Properties that Improve Signal Localization and Fidelity Biophys. J., May 1, 2005; 88(5): 3063 - 3071. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Nikonov, L. L. Daniele, X. Zhu, C. M. Craft, A. Swaroop, and E. N. Pugh Jr. Photoreceptors of Nrl -/- Mice Coexpress Functional S- and M-cone Opsins Having Distinct Inactivation Mechanisms J. Gen. Physiol., February 28, 2005; 125(3): 287 - 304. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. J. Chichilnisky and F. Rieke Detection Sensitivity and Temporal Resolution of Visual Signals near Absolute Threshold in the Salamander Retina J. Neurosci., January 12, 2005; 25(2): 318 - 330. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. T. Clark and M. C. W. van Rossum The Optimal Synapse for Sparse, Binary Signals in the Rod Pathway Neural Comput., January 1, 2005; 18(1): 26 - 44. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. V. Bui, B. Edmunds, G. A. Cioffi, and B. Fortune The Gradient of Retinal Functional Changes during Acute Intraocular Pressure Elevation Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2005; 46(1): 202 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. X. Wu, G. Moiseyev, Y. Chen, B. Rohrer, R. K. Crouch, and J.-x. Ma Identification of RDH10, an All-trans Retinol Dehydrogenase, in Retinal Muller Cells Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., November 1, 2004; 45(11): 3857 - 3862. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Ala-Laurila, K. Donner, and A. Koskelainen Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual Pigments Biophys. J., June 1, 2004; 86(6): 3653 - 3662. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Holcman and J. I. Korenbrot Longitudinal Diffusion in Retinal Rod and Cone Outer Segment Cytoplasm: The Consequence of Cell Structure Biophys. J., April 1, 2004; 86(4): 2566 - 2582. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. V. Bui and B. Fortune Ganglion cell contributions to the rat full-field electroretinogram J. Physiol., February 15, 2004; 555(1): 153 - 173. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. V. Bui, M. Kalloniatis, and A. J. Vingrys Retinal Function Loss after Monocarboxylate Transport Inhibition Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., February 1, 2004; 45(2): 584 - 593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. I. Rebrik and J. I. Korenbrot In Intact Mammalian Photoreceptors, Ca2+-dependent Modulation of cGMP-gated Ion Channels Is Detectable in Cones but Not in Rods J. Gen. Physiol., December 29, 2003; 123(1): 63 - 76. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R.D. Hamer, S.C. Nicholas, D. Tranchina, P.A. Liebman, and T.D. Lamb Multiple Steps of Phosphorylation of Activated Rhodopsin Can Account for the Reproducibility of Vertebrate Rod Single-photon Responses J. Gen. Physiol., September 29, 2003; 122(4): 419 - 444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Habermann, B. J. O'Brien, H. Wassle, and D. A. Protti AII Amacrine Cells Express L-Type Calcium Channels at Their Output Synapses J. Neurosci., July 30, 2003; 23(17): 6904 - 6913. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				X. Zhang, T. G. Wensel, and T. W. Kraft GTPase Regulators and Photoresponses in Cones of the Eastern Chipmunk J. Neurosci., February 15, 2003; 23(4): 1287 - 1297. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. S. W. Chang, K. Jonsson, M. A. Kazmi, M. J. Donoghue, and T. P. Sakmar Recreating a Functional Ancestral Archosaur Visual Pigment Mol. Biol. Evol., September 1, 2002; 19(9): 1483 - 1489. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. P. Sampath and D. A. Baylor Molecular Mechanism of Spontaneous Pigment Activation in Retinal Cones Biophys. J., July 1, 2002; 83(1): 184 - 193. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Demontis and L. Cervetto Vision: How to Catch Fast Signals With Slow Detectors Physiology, June 1, 2002; 17(3): 110 - 114. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Sieving, M. L. Fowler, R. A. Bush, S. Machida, P. D. Calvert, D. G. Green, C. L. Makino, and C. L. McHenry Constitutive "Light" Adaptation in Rods from G90D Rhodopsin: A Mechanism for Human Congenital Nightblindness without Rod Cell Loss J. Neurosci., August 1, 2001; 21(15): 5449 - 5460. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. K. Derwent and R. A. Linsenmeier Effects of Hypoxemia on the a- and b-Waves of the Electroretinogram in the Cat Retina Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., October 1, 2000; 41(11): 3634 - 3642. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. A. Freed Parallel Cone Bipolar Pathways to a Ganglion Cell Use Different Rates and Amplitudes of Quantal Excitation J. Neurosci., June 1, 2000; 20(11): 3956 - 3963. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Freed Rate of Quantal Excitation to a Retinal Ganglion Cell Evoked by Sensory Input J Neurophysiol, May 1, 2000; 83(5): 2956 - 2966. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Mou, H. J. Grazio III, T. A. Cook, J. A. Beavo, and R. H. Cote cGMP Binding to Noncatalytic Sites on Mammalian Rod Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase Is Regulated by Binding of Its gamma  and delta  Subunits J. Biol. Chem., June 25, 1999; 274(26): 18813 - 18820. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. M. Schneeweis and J. L. Schnapf The Photovoltage of Macaque Cone Photoreceptors: Adaptation, Noise, and Kinetics J. Neurosci., February 15, 1999; 19(4): 1203 - 1216. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Lyubarsky, B. Falsini, M. E. Pennesi, P. Valentini, and E. N. Pugh Jr UV- and Midwave-Sensitive Cone-Driven Retinal Responses of the Mouse: A Possible Phenotype for Coexpression of Cone Photopigments J. Neurosci., January 1, 1999; 19(1): 442 - 455. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Rao-Mirotznik, G. Buchsbaum, and P. Sterling Transmitter Concentration at a Three-Dimensional Synapse J Neurophysiol, December 1, 1998; 80(6): 3163 - 3172. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. W. Cowan, R. N. Fariss, I. Sokal, K. Palczewski, and T. G. Wensel High expression levels in cones of RGS9, the predominant GTPase accelerating protein of rods PNAS, April 28, 1998; 95(9): 5351 - 5356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Han, J. Lou, K. Nakanishi, T. P. Sakmar, and S. O. Smith Partial Agonist Activity of 11-cis-Retinal in Rhodopsin Mutants J. Biol. Chem., September 12, 1997; 272(37): 23081 - 23085. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Wieland, C.-K. Chen, and M. I. Simon The Retinal Specific Protein RGS-r Competes with the gamma Subunit of cGMP Phosphodiesterase for the alpha Subunit of Transducin and Facilitates Signal Termination J. Biol. Chem., April 4, 1997; 272(14): 8853 - 8856. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Faurobert and J. B. Hurley The core domain of a new retina specific RGS protein stimulates the GTPase activity of transducin in vitro PNAS, April 1, 1997; 94(7): 2945 - 2950. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. P. Skiba, J. A. Hopp, and V. Y. Arshavsky The Effector Enzyme Regulates the Duration of G Protein Signaling in Vertebrate Photoreceptors by Increasing the Affinity between Transducin and RGS Protein J. Biol. Chem., October 13, 2000; 275(42): 32716 - 32720. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]