The use of iodinated density gradient media for the isolation of rod outer segments.

Sucrose, nycodenz, metrizamide and a mixture of equal volumes of sucrose and metrizamide were used as density gradient media for the isolation of retinal rod outer segments. The high osmolarity of sucrose had a strongly negative effect on the nature of the rod outer segments, whereas they were much better preserved using iodinated density gradient media such as nycodenz and metrizamide for their isolation.