ROD OUTER SEGMENT PHOSPHOLIPID-OPSIN RATIO OF RATS MAINTAINED IN DARKNESS OR CYCLIC LIGHT

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 16  (2) , 188-190
Abstract
Rhodopsin (opsin), lipid and fatty acids were measured in rod outer segments (ROS) of rats maintained for at least 2 wk in continuous darkness or in 12 h/day cyclic light. Average rhodopsin per eye was 1.8 nmol for the 5 ft-c cyclic light groups compared to 2.4 nmol for the dark groups of the same age. The phospholipid/opsin ratio was significantly higher after cyclic light maintenance, suggesting that slow adaptive processes control the opsin density of the ROS membranes. Estimates indicated that ROS length also depended on the long-term light environment. ROS lipid and fatty acid composition were not consistently different in dark and light groups.

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