Skip to main content
The Journal of General Physiology logoLink to The Journal of General Physiology
. 1966 Jan 1;49(3):565–593. doi: 10.1085/jgp.49.3.565

Sinusoidal and Delta Function Responses of Visual Cells of the Limulus Eye

R B Pinter 1
PMCID: PMC2195497  PMID: 5938828

Abstract

Dynamic responses of visual cells of the Limulus eye to stimuli of sinusoids and narrow pulses of light superimposed on a nonzero mean level have been obtained. Amplitudes and phase angles of averaged sinusoidal generator potential are plotted with respect to frequency of intensity modulation for different mean levels of light adaptation. At frequencies above 10 CPS, generator potential amplitudes decrease sharply and phase lag angle increases. At frequencies below 1 CPS, amplitude decreases. A maximum of amplitude in the region of 1 to 2 CPS is apparent with increased mean intensity. The generator potential responses are compared with those of differential equation models. Variation of gain with mean intensity for incremental stimuli is consistent with logarithmic sensitivity of the photoreceptor. Frequency response of the photoreceptor derived from narrow pulses of light predicts the frequency response obtained with sinusoidal stimuli, and the photoreceptor is linear for small signals in the light-adapted state.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.5 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BEVERIDGE J., HARRIS M., WISE G., STEVENS L. LONG-ACTING SULPHONAMIDES ASSOCIATED WITH STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME. Lancet. 1964 Sep 12;2(7359):593–593. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)90669-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CAMPBELL F. W., RUSHTON W. A. Measurement of the scotopic pigment in the living human eye. J Physiol. 1955 Oct 28;130(1):131–147. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005399. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CLYNES M. Unidirectional rate sensitivity: a biocybernetic law of reflex and humoral systems as physiologic channels of control and communication. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1961 Jul 28;92:946–969. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1961.tb40968.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FUORTES M. G. Electric activity of cells in the eye of Limulus. Am J Ophthalmol. 1958 Nov;46(5 Pt 2):210–223. doi: 10.1016/0002-9394(58)90800-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FUORTES M. G., HODGKIN A. L. CHANGES IN TIME SCALE AND SENSITIVITY IN THE OMMATIDIA OF LIMULUS. J Physiol. 1964 Aug;172:239–263. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007415. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FUORTES M. G., POGGIO G. F. Transient responses to sudden illumination in cells of the eye of Limulus. J Gen Physiol. 1963 Jan;46:435–452. doi: 10.1085/jgp.46.3.435. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. JONES R. W., GREEN D. G., PINTER R. B. Mathematical simulation of certain receptor and effector organs. Fed Proc. 1962 Jan-Feb;21:97–102. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KELLY D. H. Visual response to time-dependent stimuli. I. Amplitude sensitivity measurements. J Opt Soc Am. 1961 Apr;51:422–429. doi: 10.1364/josa.51.000422. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. RATLIFF F., HARTLINE H. K., MILLER W. H. Spatial and temporal aspects of retinal inhibitory interaction. J Opt Soc Am. 1963 Jan;53:110–120. doi: 10.1364/josa.53.000110. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of General Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES