The primary objective of this project is to elucidate the molecular basis of visual excitation and adaption and also to understand the mechanisms that regulate photoreceptor metabolism. The basic approach is to use electrophysiological and pharmacological techniques to study phototransduction and energy metabolism of individual photoreceptors. This work should yield important information about the normal working of these processes, which is an important prerequisite for understanding diseases that may involve the visual system.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY003793-12
Application #
3258243
Study Section
Visual Sciences A Study Section (VISA)
Project Start
1987-09-01
Project End
1994-08-31
Budget Start
1992-09-01
Budget End
1993-08-31
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
City
Farmington
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06030
Fein, A; Cavar, S (2000) Divergent mechanisms for phototransduction of invertebrate microvillar photoreceptors. Vis Neurosci 17:911-7
Vallet, A M; Fein, A (1997) A role for hydrolysis of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in terminating the response to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and to a flash of light in Limulus ventral photoreceptors. Brain Res 768:91-101
Poitry, S; Tsacopoulos, M; Fein, A et al. (1996) Kinetics of oxygen consumption and light-induced changes of nucleotides in solitary rod photoreceptors. J Gen Physiol 108:75-87
Feng, J J; Carson, J H; Morgan, F et al. (1994) Three-dimensional organization of endoplasmic reticulum in the ventral photoreceptors of Limulus. J Comp Neurol 341:172-83
Terasaki, M; Slater, N T; Fein, A et al. (1994) Continuous network of endoplasmic reticulum in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 91:7510-4
Jones, G J; Fein, A; MacNichol Jr, E F et al. (1993) Visual pigment bleaching in isolated salamander retinal cones. Microspectrophotometry and light adaptation. J Gen Physiol 102:483-502
Feng, J J; Frank, T M; Fein, A (1991) Excitation of Limulus photoreceptors by hydrolysis-resistant analogs of cGMP and cAMP. Brain Res 552:291-4
Frank, T M; Fein, A (1991) The role of the inositol phosphate cascade in visual excitation of invertebrate microvillar photoreceptors. J Gen Physiol 97:697-723
Cornwall, M C; Fein, A; MacNichol Jr, E F (1990) Cellular mechanisms that underlie bleaching and background adaptation. J Gen Physiol 96:345-72
Naegele, J R; Katz, L C (1990) Cell surface molecules containing N-acetylgalactosamine are associated with basket cells and neurogliaform cells in cat visual cortex. J Neurosci 10:540-57

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