Light-induced transmission changes in isolated vertebrate retinas

Changes in the transmission of infrared light by visible light stimulus were measured in isolated chicken and cattle retinas. Chicken retinas showed a 1st increasing phase, a reducing phase, and a 2nd increasing phase. Cattle retinas lacked the 1st increasing phase. For chicken retinas, hyperosmolarity suppressed the reducing phase and a lack of glucose suppressed the 2nd increasing phase. Presumably, outer segment discs shrink due to light stimulus, thereafter swelling by utilizing energy from inner segments.