This is a continuation of a project intended to examine the properties of visual pigments of selected vertebrates that have special or unique ecological or phylogenetic relations. To date these pigments have been investigated by the method of extraction in which the physical and chemical properties are studied using standard spectrophotometry. Now it is proposed to study the same pigments while in situ within the cellular environment, thus conferring greater biological relevance to the results. For this purpose a microspectrophotometer will be employed to probe the single cell environment of each pigment. The microspectrophotometer that will be employed is one built by Dr. Ellis R. Loew of Cornell University. This microspectrophotometer is being transferred to UCLA for my use. In this work the isolated outer segments from various vertebrates (geckos, fishes, frog tadpoles, etc.) will be experimentally treated to test the effect, if any, on the spectral properties. The protocols will, at least initially, be dictated by what has already been learned from the extraction method. In the program it is planned to examine the pigments in rods, in cones and in cells that are considered to be transmuted or intermediate type cells. The method of extraction has provided a background for all these cells and now an extension will be made into the more biological realm.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY002178-12
Application #
3256543
Study Section
Visual Sciences A Study Section (VISA)
Project Start
1978-04-01
Project End
1993-04-30
Budget Start
1989-05-01
Budget End
1993-04-30
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
James, T W; Crescitelli, F; Loew, E R et al. (1992) The eyespot of Euglena gracilis: a microspectrophotometric study. Vision Res 32:1583-91
Crescitelli, F; James, T W; Erickson, J M et al. (1992) The eyespot of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: a comparative microspectrophotometric study. Vision Res 32:1593-600
Crescitelli, F; Karvaly, B (1991) The gecko visual pigment: the anion hypsochromic effect. Vision Res 31:945-50
Crescitelli, F (1991) The scotopic photoreceptors and their visual pigments of fishes: functions and adaptations. Vision Res 31:339-48
Crescitelli, F (1990) Adaptations of visual pigments to the photic environment of the deep sea. J Exp Zool Suppl 5:66-75
Crescitelli, F; Karvaly, B (1989) The visual pigment cyanide effect. Photochem Photobiol 50:785-91
Crescitelli, F; Karvaly, B (1989) The Gecko visual pigment: the dark exchange reaction and the effects of anions. Exp Eye Res 49:43-8
Crescitelli, F (1988) The gecko visual pigment: the chromophore dark exchange reaction. Exp Eye Res 46:239-48
Crescitelli, F; Liu, R S (1988) The spectral properties and photosensitivities of analogue photopigments regenerated with 10- and 14-substituted retinal analogues. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 233:55-76
Liu, R S; Crescitelli, F; Denny, M et al. (1986) Photosensitivity of 10-substituted visual pigment analogues: detection of a specific secondary opsin-retinal interaction. Biochemistry 25:7026-30

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