Orientation of acidic polysaccharides and rhodopsin-oligosaccharides in frog retinal rod outer segments.

Using topo-optical staining reactions, the presence and molecular order of three structural components of outer segments of frog retina were studied. These components included (1) an acidic polysaccharide texture, (2) free aldehyde groups which arise during formalin fixation and (3) the oligosaccharide chains of rhodopsin. Quantitative measurements of the dye binding and birefringence effects arising from the individual structural components in rod outer segments were made. Results indicated that all three structural components had a rather well-defined orientation within the ROS. The spherulites phagocytized from the apical ends of ROSs by the pigment epithelium also demonstrate preferred orientation of the three structural components investigated.