| Summary |
Isolated retinas from Rana pipiens were excised in the dark and equilibrated in a neural Ringer's solution containing small amounts of Na²². At the end of equilibration time the radioactive tissue was washed with a nonradioactive Ringer's solution and the eluent tested for Na²² content. Experiments were graphed as percent Na²² remaining in the retina as a function of time. Under control conditions the efflux showed a three slope phenomena. The fast slope (A) goes from time 0-5 minutes, the intermediate slope (B) goes from time 5-20 minutes and the slow slope (C) goes from time 20 minutes until the termination of the experiment. Lowering the temperature of the experiment 10° caused some increase in slope A which could be explained by the Q₁₀ rule and a marked change in Slope B indicating a metabolically dependent function. Rats were treated with doses of sodium-l-glutamate from days 2-18 in order to selectively degenerate the bipolar and ganglion layers of the retina. Tests on these rats show that the ERG is completely abolished. Na²² efflux profiles from the retinas of glutamate treated rats show that slope A is slightly changed while slopes B and C are completely abolished. Results from the three sets of experiments show clearly that the major component of slope A is absorbed Na²² associated with the fluid drop surrounding the retina and implies that slope C is a combination of Na²² from Muller cells and Na²² which follows a complex absorption-reabsorption route. By deduction, slope B appears to be dominated by the Na²² efflux from the various neural elements. The importance of Na²² exchange in the rod outer segments cannot be determined since it is not known if they actively transport sodium. |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Biology. |
| General note | Advisor: William James Smith |
| Dissertation note | M.A. East Carolina University 1971 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-36). |
| Genre/form | dissertations. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
