Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Nature of light-induced conductance changes in ventral photoreceptors of Limulus

Nature volume 276, pages 76–79 (1978)Cite this article

Abstract

THE response of invertebrate photoreceptors to light is thought to be composed of small discrete events known as ‘bumps’1–5. The rate of occurrence of these bumps increases and their average size decreases with increasing ambient light intensity (light adaptation)6–10. The mechanisms involved in these processes are unknown. I report here an analysis of the light-induced current fluctuations in the voltage-clamped ventral photoreceptors of Limulus. Results seem to suggest that the conductance change of a bump is due to the opening of discrete channels which have properties similar to those of the discrete channels observed in the vertebrate neuromuscular junction11–14. The data also lead to suggestions of plausible mechanisms for the generation and adaptation of bumps.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Yeandle, S. thesis, Johns Hopkins Univ. (1957).

  2. Scholes, J. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 30, 517–527 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kirschfeld, K. in Information Processing in the Visual System of Arthropods (ed. Wehner, R.) 61–74 (Springer, Berlin, 1972).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Millecchia, R. & Mauro, A. J. gen. Physiol. 54, 331–351 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wu, C.-F. & Pak, W. L. J. gen. Physiol. 66, 149–168 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fuortes, M. G. F. & Yeandle, S. J. gen. Physiol. 47, 443–463 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Adolph, A. R. J. gen. Physiol. 48, 297–322 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rushton, W. A. H. in Light and Life (eds McElroy, W. D. & Glass, H. B.) 706–723 (Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dodge, F. A., Knight, B. W. & Toyoda, J. I. Science 160, 88–90 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Wu, C.-F. & Pak, W. L. J. gen. Physiol. 71, 249–268 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fatt, P. & Katz, B. Nature 166, 597–598 (1950).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Katz, B. & Miledi, R. J. Physiol., Lond. 224, 665–699 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Anderson, C. R. & Stevens, C. F. J. Physiol., Lond. 235, 665–691 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Neher, E. & Sakmann, B. Nature 260, 799–802 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wong, F. thesis, Rockefeller Univ. (1977).

  16. Rice, S. O. Bell Teleph. Syst. tech. Publs. 23, 282–332 (1944).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Knight, B. in Stochastic Point Process: Statistical Analysis, Theory, and Applications (ed. Lewis, P. A. W.) (Wiley, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cooley, J. W. & Tukey, J. W. Maths Comput. 19, 297–301 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Schwartz, M. & Shaw, L. Signal Processing: Discrete Spectral Analysis, Detection, and Estimation (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Fuortes, M. G. F. & Hodgkin, A. L. J. Physiol., Lond. 172, 239–263 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wong, F. & Knight, B. W. Assoc. Res. Vision Ophthalmol. Abstr. 119, no. 2 (1977).

  22. Conti, F., De Felice, L. J. & Wanke, E. J. Physiol., Lond. 248, 45–82 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Conti, F. et al. J. Physiol., Lond. 262, 699–727 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Yau, K. W., Lamb, T. D. & Baylor, D. A. Nature 269, 78–80 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Hubbard, R. & Wald, G. Nature 186, 212–215 (1960).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lisman, J. E. & Bering, H. J. gen. Physiol. 70, 621–633 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907

    FULTON WONG

  2. The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, 10021

    FULTON WONG

Authors
  1. FULTON WONG
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

WONG, F. Nature of light-induced conductance changes in ventral photoreceptors of Limulus. Nature 276, 76–79 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/276076a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/276076a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing