Colour Receptors of the Frog's Retina

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary.: Spikes have been recorded with micro‐electrodes, amplifier and cathode ray oscillograph from the retinae of light‐adapted frogs and during dark‐adaptation.The chief aim of this work has been to collect a large number of curves showing the distribution of sensitivity to spectral light of single or a restricted number of elements.Most elements have a distribution of sensitivity which coincides with the average curve with its maximum in 0.560 μ and legs extending over a relatively large part of the spectrum (see fig‐ 9).But there are also narrow bands of sensitivity with maxima ranging between 0.450–0.600 μ. The maxima of these bands are chiefly gathered around 0.580–0.600 μ, 0.520–0.540 μ, and 0.450–0.470 μ. Curves from the last mentioned group are rare.Curves illustrating dark‐adaptation (or recovery of sensitivity) for different wave‐lengths are given in the paper and compared with visual purple regeneration.The blue‐sensitive elements recover at a faster rate than others after light‐adaptation and in this way can also be isolated from the region around 0.500 μ occupied by the absorption band of visual purple.The kind of mechanism of colour reception that might be expected from such a system is briefly discussed, and it is suggested that in many respects it may be very like that of man.

This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit: