Photosensory transduction in ciliates. I. An analysis of light-induced electrical and motile responses in Stentor coeruleus.

Abstract

Light-induced membrane potential changes and motile responses have been studied in Stentor cells with intracellular microelectrodes and video microscopy, respectively. Intracellular microelectrode recordings showed that step-up increase in light intensity induced an electrical membrane response which consisted of an initial membrane depolarization (photoreceptor potential) followed by an action potential and maintaining phase of depolarization (afterdepolarization). The amplitude of the receptor potential is dependent on the intensity of light stimulus and the action potential appears with a lag period (latency) after the onset of light stimulus. The extent of the membrane afterdepolarization is dependent on the intensity and duration of stimulus used. A close time correlation has been established between the latency for the action potential and the onset of ciliary reversal (stop response). A time correlation was also observed between the duration of the membrane afterdepolarization and the duration of backward swimming. The action spectrum for the photoreceptor potential amplitude of Stentor resembled the action spectra for the latency of ciliary reversal and the photoresponsiveness, indicating that the photomovement response and membrane potential changes are coupled through the same photosensor system. A hypothesis on the photosensory transduction chain in Stentor is discussed according to which the photoreceptors and the ciliary apparatus is mediated by the membrane potential changes.