Mechanism of the formation of x-ray-induced phosphenes. I. Electrophysiological investigations
To explore one possible mechanism of the formation of phosphenes detected by astronauts during space flights, the x-ray stimulation of the photoreceptor cells of the eye was investigated. The albino rat's retina, maintained in culture by perfusion, was used for this study. The electrophysiological response (ERG) induced by x rays was found to be identical to the one produced by a visible light stimulation. Under our experimental procedure, only a direct interaction between incident radiation and retina induced such as ERG. Irrespective of whether the experiment was performed using the isolated retina or the whole animal, we found that the ERG amplitude was proportional to the logarithm of the exposure on the retina. A comparative study indicated that, to obtain the same ERG amplitude, the incident energy on the retina must be about 5 x 10/sup 6/ times larger for x rays (E = 40 keV) than for visible light (lambda = 489 nm). The analysis of these results leads us to assume that the x rays act on the rod's photosensitive molecule, rhodopsin.
- Research Organization:
- Laboratoire de Biophysique, Cedex, France
- OSTI ID:
- 5099457
- Journal Information:
- Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 82:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
PIGMENTS
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
RATS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RETINA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHYSIOLOGY
STIMULATION
TISSUE CULTURES
VISIBLE RADIATION
X RADIATION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EYES
FACE
HEAD
IONIZING RADIATIONS
KINETICS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
RODENTS
SENSE ORGANS
VERTEBRATES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals
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551000 - Physiological Systems