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Ionic and electrophysiological properties of retinal Müller (glial) cells of the turtle.
Author(s) -
Conner J D,
Detwiler P B,
Sarthy P V
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.1985.sp015664
Subject(s) - electrophysiology , retinal , turtle (robot) , neuroscience , ionic bonding , chemistry , retina , biophysics , electroretinography , biology , anatomy , biochemistry , ion , ecology , organic chemistry
The ionic and electrophysiological properties of Müller cells, the principal glial element of the vertebrate retina, were investigated. The membrane potential of enzymatically dissociated and in situ Müller cells was about ‐80 mV and depended on external K+ concentration in a manner that was described by the Goldman‐Hodgkin‐Katz equation with a Na+‐K+ permeability ratio of 0.037. The current‐voltage relation showed marked inward rectification, with the input resistance at the resting potential being about 30 M omega for dissociated cells and about 3 M omega for in situ cells. In situ Müller cells were found to be electrically coupled to each other which could explain their lower resistance. We conclude that Müller cells are similar to other types of glia. In spite of a finite Na+ permeability their membrane potential is determined mainly by K+, they are electrically inexcitable and form an electrically coupled network in the retina.