The Journal of General Physiology, Vol 80, 103-123, Copyright © 1982 by The Rockefeller University Press
Physiological evidence that light-mediated decrease in cyclic GMP is an intermediary process in retinal rod transduction
WH Miller
Brief, intracellularly injected pulses of cyclic GMP transiently
depolarized toad retinal rod outer segments (ROS). The depolarization is
antagonized by light, perhaps by the activation of phosphodiesterase (PDE),
as shown in the biochemical studies of others. As measured by the
antagonism of cyclic GMP pulses by light, PDE activity peaks after the peak
of the receptor potential and has approximately the same recovery time as
the membrane voltage after weak illumination, but recovers more slowly than
the membrane potential after strong illumination, as sensitivity does in
other preparations. A cyclic GMP pulse delivered just after the
hyperpolarizing phase of the receptor potential tends to turn off the light
response. The kinetics of recovery from this turnoff are similar to those
of the initial phase of the receptor potential. This similarity suggests
that the initial phase of the receptor potential is controlled by
light-activated PDE. Both EGTA and saturating doses of cyclic GMP block the
light response, but only cyclic GMP increases response latency, which
suggests that if calcium is involved in transduction, it is controlled by
the hydrolysis of cyclic GMP. After brief pulses of cyclic AMP, a new
steady state of increased depolarization occasionally develops. The effects
described above also occur under these conditions. The results are
consistent with the hypothesis that light-activated hydrolysis of cGMP is
an intermediary process in transduction.