Abstract
In the retina of most vertebrates the cone outer segment disk are in continuity with the cell membrane, thus intradisk space is part of the extracellular space. The rod disk membranes, except for some basal ones, appear to be separated from the cell membrane. On the other hand it has been shown the existence of filament-like structures connecting retinal rod disks to one another and with the cell membrane. However due to the lack of observation of either electron-dense or fluorescent extracellular tracer penetration into rod outer segments, it is believed that rod intradisk space is isolated from the extracellular space. This investigation elucidates upon the nature of filament-like linkage between retinal rod outer segment disk and cell membrane. An incubation solution with 10 times lower than normal osmolarity was used to osmotically explode isolated dark adapted frog retina.Membranes under this condition were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using the freeze-fracture replica technique. Regularly spaced filaments were observed that were continuous between outer segment disks and the cell membrane in the retinal rods (Fig. 1). Probably these connections have a supporting function providing mechanical stability of the rod outer segment structure.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America
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