Wu S M, Yang X L
Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Dec 15;89(24):11755-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.24.11755.
Although synaptic transmission in the retina has been assumed to be static, it appears that the voltage gains of the synapses between photoreceptors and second-order cells can be enhanced by light. Voltage gains of the synapses between rods and bipolar (or horizontal) cells are about 10 times higher in the presence of dim background light than in darkness. This increase in synaptic gain may compensate for the loss of rod light responsiveness caused by weak background light so that the animal can maintain good rod sensitivity under moonlight or starlight, the natural lighting condition for mating and food catching.
尽管视网膜中的突触传递一直被认为是静态的,但光似乎可以增强光感受器与二级细胞之间突触的电压增益。在昏暗背景光存在的情况下,视杆细胞与双极(或水平)细胞之间突触的电压增益比在黑暗中高出约10倍。突触增益的这种增加可能补偿了由弱背景光引起的视杆细胞光反应性的损失,从而使动物在月光或星光(交配和觅食的自然光照条件)下能够保持良好的视杆细胞敏感性。