Ability to light-induced conductance change of arthropod visual cell membrane, indirectly depending on membrane potential, during depolarization by external potassium or ouabain.

Light responses (ReP) and pre-stimulus membrane potential (PMP) and conductance of photoreceptors of Astacus leptodactylus and Limulus polyphemus (lateral eye) were recorded and changes were observed when the photoreceptor was depolarized by the action of external ouabain of high potassium concentration application. 1 mM/1 ouabain application causes a transient increase of PMP and ReP in Limulus, followed by a decrease which is faster for the ReP (half time time 34 min) than for the PMP (half time 80 min). Irreversible loss of excitability occurs when the PMP is still ca. 40% of the reference value. In both preparations high external potassium concentration leads to total depolarization (beyond zero line to + 10-+ 20 mV) of the PMP and after a time lag of 10 min also to a loss of excitability (intracellular recording). In extracellular recordings (Astacus) the excitability remains at a low level of 15%. The effects are reversible and are similar whether no or 10% external sodium is present. In all experiments the light-induced changes of membrane conductance are about parallel to those of the light response. The fact that the ability of the photosensoric membrane to undergo light-induced conductance changes is membrane potential-dependent is discussed, leading to the explanation that dipolar membrane constituents such as channel forming molecules (probably not rhodopsin) have to be ordered by membrane potential to keep the membrane functional for the photosensoric action.