In vitro maintenance of a pure-cone retina

The retina of the lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, appears to have only cone photoreceptors. Eyecups from this animal were incubated in media containing Earle's Balanced Salts, supplemented with amino acids and vitamins, and gassed with 5% CO2/95% O2. Under these conditions, good morphology, protein synthesis, and normal cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels were maintained for 1-2 days. This in vitro preparation is likely to be useful for pharmacological studies of cone photoreceptors.