OPTICAL STUDIES OF PHOTORECEPTOR FUNCTION

本提案的长期目标是了解以下内容 脊椎动物视网膜感光细胞更新的方面：1）为什么 光感受器外节中的光敏盘膜需要 以如此快的速度和代谢费用被替换？ 2)是什么规定了 新盘合成与旧盘脱落保持杆之间的平衡 光感受器处于稳态吗 3)是在 负责感光器的盘组装或脱落过程 病理状态，例如在光毒性反应、视网膜病变、视网膜病变中发现的那些病理状态， 冷漠还是营养不良 这项研究的具体目的是使用光学显微镜方法， 结合免疫组织化学和光谱学来研究 1）脂质过氧化作用在结构和功能中起什么作用？ 随着年龄的增长，视杆细胞盘膜的功能发生了变化？ （二） 细胞骨架元素和昼夜化学变化（褪黑激素）控制吗 盘膜合成？ 3)是细胞骨架元素或邻近的 远端椎间盘与色素上皮相关的触发椎间盘的线索 脱落？ 4)光敏药物有什么作用，营养 视网膜脱离的原因有哪些 通过光学不均匀性（亮-暗周期）测量的位移 依赖的轴向双折射带，膜折射率带） 还是通过染料标记的圆盘膜的轴向运动？ 5)捐献者是否老化 对人类感光器的光学特性有任何可观察到的影响吗？

The long range objectives of this proposal are to understand the following aspects of vertebrate retinal photoreceptor renewal: 1) Why do the light-sensitive disk membranes in photoreceptor outer segments need to be replaced at such a rapid rate and metabolic expense? 2) What regulates the balance between new disk synthesis an old disk shedding to maintain rod photoreceptors in a homeostatic state? 3) Are deficiencies in the processes of disk assembly or shedding responsible for photoreceptor pathological states such as those found in phototoxic responses, retinal detachment or nutritional deficiencies? Specific aims of the study are to use light microscope methods in conjunction with immunohistochemistry and spectroscopy to investigate the following: 1) What role does lipid peroxidation play in structural and functional changes found in rod cell disk membranes as they get older? 2) Do cytoskeletal elements and circadian chemical changes (melatonin) control disk membrane synethesis? 3) Are cytoskeletal elements or proximity of distal disks with the pigment epithelium relevant cues for triggering disk shedding? 4) What effects do photosensitizing drugs, nutritional deficiencies and retinal detachment have on disk assembly and axial displacement as measured by optical inhomogeneities (light-dark cycle dependent transaxial birefringence bands, membrane refractive index bands) or by axial movement of dye-labeled disk membranes? 5) Does the donor age have any observable effect upon human photoreceptor optical properties?