Gigaohm single-channel recording from isolated Hermissenda crassicornis type B photoreceptors

• Published in: Journal of experimental biology Vol. 156; no. 1; pp. 619 - 623
• Main Authors: ETCHEBERRIGARAY, R, HUDDIE, P. L, ALKON, D. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Company of Biologists 01.03.1991
• Subjects: Animals; Biochemistry. Physiology. Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Endopeptidases; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; In Vitro Techniques; Invertebrates; Microelectrodes; Mollusca; Photoreceptor Cells - physiology; Physiology. Development; Potassium Channels - physiology; Peripheral nervous system; Photoreceptor; Electrophysiology; Ions; Patch clamp method; Ionic channel; Gastropoda; Sensory receptor; Marine environment; Hermissenda crassicornis; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Potassium
• ISSN: 0022-0949; 1477-9145
• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.156.1.619

ABSTRACT Invertebrate photoreceptor electrophysiology has mainly been studied with intracellular microelectrodes. Single-channel recording has proved to be difficult, possibly because of unusual plasma membrane configurations; in Limulus polyphemus successful gigaohm seals were obtained only after pronase treatment and brief sonication (Bacigalupo and Lisman, 1983). Here we describe an isolated Hermissenda eye preparation that permits single-channel recording (Hamill et al. 1981) from identified type B photoreceptors; this photoreceptor sub-type has been assiduously studied with intracellular microelectrodes, under both current-clamp and voltage-clamp conditions. Associative conditioning of Hermissenda crassicornis (in the paired fight and rotation paradigm) is attributable in part to the reduction of potassium conductances in the type B photoreceptors (Alkon, 1984, 1987; Alkon et al. 1985). We have used the isolated eye preparation to characterize two types of potassium channels in photoreceptor plasma membranes.