The neural retina of the frog contributes a slow cornea-positive potential to the electroretinogram

Abstract

A c-wave-like cornea-positive potential in the isolated rabbit retina has been described. In this study, frog retinas were investigated to see if the neural retina contributes a slow cornea-positive component to the c-wave of the electroretinogram. The eye cups of both Rana esculenta and Rana temporaria exhibited a normal electroretinogram with c-wave, a larger proximal light-induced extracellular potassium increase, a small distal extracellular potassium increase and an extracellular potassium decrease around photoreceptors. Isolated frog retinas kept receptor side-upward in a moist chamber without perfusion showed the well-known slow PIII generated by the potassium decrease around receptors. If the isolated retinas were well perfused, the slow PIII was not seen, but a cornea-positive d.c. potential sometimes appeared after the b-wave. The different slow potentials seemed to relate to different light-induced potassium changes in the proximal retina. There was a long-lasting proximal potassium increase in the superfused retinas but a quick return of the proximal potassium increase to the baseline in the retinas lacking oxygen at the vitreal side. The lasting proximal potassium increase in adequately maintained retinas may counteract the potassium decrease around receptors and cancel slow PIII.