Electrical coupling between cones in turtle retina. 1979

P B Detwiler, and A L Hodgkin

1. The electrical coupling between cones of known spectral sensitivity in the peripheral part of the turtle's retina was studied by passing current through a micro-electrode inserted into one cone and recording with a second micro-electrode inserted into a neighbouring cone. 2. Spatial sensitivity profiles were determined by recording flash responses to a long narrow strip of light which was moved across the impaled cones in orthogonal directions. These measurements gave both the length constant lambda of electrical spread in the cone network and the separation of the two cones. 3. The cone separation determined from the spatial profiles agreed closely with that measured directly by injecting a fluorescent dye into two cones. 4. The length constant lambda varied from 18 to 39 micron with a mean of 25 micron for red-sensitive cones and 26 micron for green-sensitive cones. 5. The majority of cone pairs studied were electrically coupled provided they had the same spectral sensitivity and were separated by less than 60 micron: thirty-two out of thirty-six red-red pairs, two out of two green-green pairs, none out of eight red-green pairs: no blue cones were observed. 6. The strength of electrical coupling was expressed as a mutual resistance defined as the voltage in one cell divided by the current flowing into the other. Mutual resistances decreased from a maximum value of about 30 M omega at separations close to zero to 0.2 M omega, the lower limit of detectable coupling at separations of about 60 micron. Mutual resistances were always positive and were independent of which cell was directly polarized. The coupling seemed to be ohmic and any rectification or non-linearity probably arose in the cone membranes rather than in the coupling resistances. 7. The results were analysed in terms of the Lamb & Simon (1977) theories of square and hexagonal lattices, which approximate to the continuous sheet model except in the case of the cone to which current is applied. 8. The total membrane resistance of a single cone was estimated as 100--300 M omega and the connecting resistances as 100 M omega for a square array and 170 M omega for a hexagonal array. The input resistance of a cone in the network was 25--50 M omega. Lower values were often obtained but may be due to injury by the micro-electrodes. 9. The time constant of an isolated cone was estimated as about 20 msec and the capacity as about 100 pF. 10. Discrepancies between experimental findings and theoretical predictions of the hexagonal or square array models were tentatively attributed to an overestimate of lambda resulting from light scattering.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007700 Kinetics The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008027 Light That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range. Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008564 Membrane Potentials The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization). Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D008959 Models, Neurological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of the neurological system, processes or phenomena; includes the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Neurologic Models,Model, Neurological,Neurologic Model,Neurological Model,Neurological Models,Model, Neurologic,Models, Neurologic
D009435 Synaptic Transmission The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D010786 Photoreceptor Cells Specialized cells that detect and transduce light. They are classified into two types based on their light reception structure, the ciliary photoreceptors and the rhabdomeric photoreceptors with MICROVILLI. Ciliary photoreceptor cells use OPSINS that activate a PHOSPHODIESTERASE phosphodiesterase cascade. Rhabdomeric photoreceptor cells use opsins that activate a PHOSPHOLIPASE C cascade. Ciliary Photoreceptor Cells,Ciliary Photoreceptors,Rhabdomeric Photoreceptor Cells,Rhabdomeric Photoreceptors,Cell, Ciliary Photoreceptor,Cell, Photoreceptor,Cell, Rhabdomeric Photoreceptor,Cells, Ciliary Photoreceptor,Cells, Photoreceptor,Cells, Rhabdomeric Photoreceptor,Ciliary Photoreceptor,Ciliary Photoreceptor Cell,Photoreceptor Cell,Photoreceptor Cell, Ciliary,Photoreceptor Cell, Rhabdomeric,Photoreceptor Cells, Ciliary,Photoreceptor Cells, Rhabdomeric,Photoreceptor, Ciliary,Photoreceptor, Rhabdomeric,Photoreceptors, Ciliary,Photoreceptors, Rhabdomeric,Rhabdomeric Photoreceptor,Rhabdomeric Photoreceptor Cell
D004553 Electric Conductivity The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS. Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012542 Scattering, Radiation The diversion of RADIATION (thermal, electromagnetic, or nuclear) from its original path as a result of interactions or collisions with atoms, molecules, or larger particles in the atmosphere or other media. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Radiation Scattering,Radiation Scatterings,Scatterings, Radiation
D014426 Turtles Any reptile including tortoises, fresh water, and marine species of the order Testudines with a body encased in a bony or cartilaginous shell consisting of a top (carapace) and a bottom (plastron) derived from the ribs. Sea Turtles,Terrapins,Tortoises,Sea Turtle,Terrapin,Tortoise,Turtle,Turtle, Sea,Turtles, Sea

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