PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J N Lythgoe

Publications and source records attributed to J N Lythgoe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Rod opsin cDNA sequence from the sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) compared with those of other vertebrates.

The absorbance spectra of rods from the sand goby were measured by using microspectrophotometry. Analysis of the averaged spectra shows that the rod visual pigment has a maximum absorbance (lambda max) at approximately 501 nm. A sand goby retinal cDNA library was constructed and then screened with a partial sand goby rod opsin clone obtained by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The screening of the library yielded a full length rod opsin clone. The cDNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of this clone are compared with those of other vertebrate rod opsins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

The modelling of optimal visual pigments of dichromatic teleosts in green coastal waters.

We have constructed a computer model that attempts to predict which pairs of rhodopsins are most suitable for making various luminosity and chromaticity discriminations in green coastal water. The model, which is based on the statistics of photon capture by retinal photoreceptors, predicts the optimal visual pigment pairs for different visual tasks. The results obtained from the model compare well with the rhodopsins possessed by dichromatic fish living at moderate depth in green coastal water.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Ionic basis for color changes in the iridescent cornea of the sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus).

The iridescence from the cornea of the sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) occurs because of thin layer interference from the platelet-like cells in the stroma. It is suggested that ionic pumps across the epithelium control the water content in the stroma and thus the spectral reflection. A saline was perfused over goby eyes and simple ion manipulation was carried out to observe any changes in the iridescent characteristics. It was found that removal of Cl- and K+ ions reduced the peak reflected wavelength to the blue end of the spectrum, whereas Na+ had little effect. The removal of K+ also caused a dramatic change to the normal shift in reflected spectral intensity. The iridescence was also found to be sensitive to pH, and the buffer HEPES was detrimental to the cornea compared to controls. These results suggest similarities to amphibian and mammalian corneal hydration control.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The visual pigment basis for cone polymorphism in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata.

Long-wavelength visual pigment polymorphism, similar to that found in primates, was found in the guppy using microspectrophotometry (MSP). Guppies have a rod pigment with a wavelength of maximal absorbance (lambda max) at 501 nm and cone pigments with peak absorbance at 408 and 464 nm. In addition individuals may have one, two or three cone classes in the yellow-green region of the spectrum with mean lambda max values of 533, 543 and 572 nm. Unlike primates this variation is not sex-linked and may be based on only two visual pigments which occur either on their own in outer-segments of the 533 nm and 572 nm cone classes or as a mixture in the 543 nm cone class.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The isolated iridescent cornea of the sand goby is photoresponsive.

After a 2 h period of dark adaptation the iridescent cornea of the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus, responds to illumination by increasing the amplitude of iridescent reflexions and shifting the wavelength of maximum reflexion towards longer wavelengths. This characteristic response is found to occur in both the intact eye and in the isolated cornea, indicating that the light-induced colour changes are mediated by extra-retinal photoreceptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Interspecific variation in the visual pigments of deep-sea fishes.

Visual pigments in the rods of 38 species of deep-sea fish were examined by microspectrophotometry. 33 species were found to have a single rhodopsin with a wavelength of maximum absorbance (lambda max) in the range 470-495 nm. Such visual pigments have absorbance maxima close to the wavelengths of maximum spectral transmission of oceanic water. 5 species, however, did not conform to this pattern and visual pigments were found with lambda max values ranging from 451 nm to 539 nm. In 4 of these species two visual pigments were found located in two types of rod. Some 2-pigment species which have unusual red sensitivity, also have red-emitting photophores. These species have both rhodopsin and porphyropsin pigments in their retinae, which was confirmed by HPLC, and the two pigments are apparently located in separate rods in the same retinal area. In deep-sea fishes the occurrence of 'unusual' visual pigments seems to be correlated with aspects of the species' depth ranges. In addition to ecological influences we present evidence, in the form of lambda max spectral clustering, that indicates the degree of molecular constraint imposed on the evolution of visual pigments in the deep-sea.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Visual pigments and the acquisition of visual information.

All the information available to the brain for the interpretation of the visual scene comes from the number of photons absorbed by a very limited number of photoreceptor types which are characterized by their spectral sensitivity. In vertebrates there are considerable differences in the spectral absorption of the rods and cones making up the retinal mosaic of different animals and, in some cases, including fish and primates, there are considerable differences between the cone sets of individuals within a species. Broadly speaking, the spectral sensitivity of the photoreceptors is related to the spectral distribution of the ambient light and this is particularly true of the colour-biased light under water. When an animal migrates from one visual environment to another, its cone complement may change to that suited to the new conditions. However, significant differences between the cone sets of animals living within the same environment and colour vision polymorphism within a species suggest that visual tasks critical to survival or breeding success require particular visual pigment sets. A start has been made in trying to understand what tasks are best served by different pigment sets.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Light-induced changes in corneal iridescence in fish.

The cornea of the goby Pomatoschistus minutus is iridescent. Spectral reflectance measurements show that the colour of the iridescence responds to light shifting to longer wavelengths when illuminated and shifting to shorter wavelengths when dark adapted. After 2-3 hr dark adaptation the iridescence is no longer visible.

Adaptation, Ocular↗
PubMed1987

Visual pigment polymorphism in the guppy Poecilia reticulata.

Visual pigment polymorphism similar to that found in primates is described in the photoreceptors of wild-caught guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Microspectrophotometric examination of retinal cells revealed rod visual pigments with a lambda max close to 503 nm. Classes of cones with lambda max around 410 and 465 nm were found, together with a population of pigments in the 529-579 nm range. It is in these long-wavelength cones that polymorphism occurs. Male guppies are highly polymorphic for body colour and it is possible that the cone polymorphism is related to the appreciation of the different yellow, orange and red carotenoid colour spots that are used in sexual display.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Light-induced colour changes by the iridophores of the Neon tetra, Paracheirodon innesi.

The iridophores of the Neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi consist of alternating layers of guanine and cytoplasm. In the dark-adapted state the reflected light from constructive interference is in the ultraviolet or blue. When exposed to light the cytoplasm layers increase in thickness and as a result the reflections shift to longer wavelengths and the iridophores appear green. The iridophores are thought to contain a rhodopsin-like molecule and we suggest that the colour-change mechanism involves the light-induced opening of sodium channels in the plasma membrane, leading osmotically to an increase in thickness of the cytoplasm layers. Experimental support for this suggestion was obtained by the substitution of choline chloride for sodium chloride in the perfusing medium, which can be done without altering the osmotic strength of the perfusing medium. This procedure almost abolished the light response and makes it seem likely that sodium ions are necessary for the light response to take place.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Aspects of photoreception in aquatic environments.

Photoreceptors are found in several different parts of the body in addition to the eyes, and as in the eyes, rhodopsin may be one of the photopigments responsible. Visual photoreceptors are photon counters, but at low light levels it is uncertain exactly when and where a photon will arrive. Thus a basic problem of vision is statistical and the maximum number of photons must be sampled to get statistically reliable information about visual contrasts, detail and movement. Sample size can be increased by extending the retinal integration time or the integration area, but this carries the cost of reduced ability to see detail and to resolve moving images. For scotopic vision the spectral absorption of visual pigment may be arranged to maximize sensitivity without greatly increasing physiological noise which reduces the perception of contrast. Photopic vision is usually mediated by from two to four cone types containing different visual pigments which allow the possibility of colour vision. Natural waters differ greatly in colour, and influence both the photopic visual pigments possessed by fishes and their coloration.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Dark-induced cone outer segment damage in the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi).

The outer segment of the twin cones of the neon tetra show scrolling and vesiculation when exposed to 36 hr of continuous darkness. This disruption first begins as a rolling of the margins of the cone lamellae and proceeds to form a complex pattern of scrolls and vesicles. There is evidence that this damage can be repaired without having to return the animals to a normal light regime. Similar lamellar disruptions have been seen in the outer segments of both rods and cones of other species that have been exposed to various other light regimes including constant light.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Visual pigments and environmental light.

The visual pigments in the rods do not have a special absorption that gives them maximal sensitivity. The visual pigments of "deep sea" fish are an exception for these do match the environmental light to give maximum sensitivity. At the low light intensities at which the rods operate, it is the number of photons that go to make up each element of the image that limits the ability of the eye to discriminate detail and contrast. Chemically induced isomerisation of the visual pigment molecule may cause spurious visual signals that limit the ability of the eye to detect contrasts in very dim light. In bright light the spurious visual signals become insignificant in number compared to the true photon-induced visual signals. Compared to the rods, cone visual pigments do match the spectral properties of the environment except that there appear to be no visual pigments with an absorption maximum beyond the 625 nm porphyropsins in cones. U.V. absorbing pigments are know in invertebrates, birds and fish that live in very shallow water. Animals have photoreceptors in parts of the body other than the eyes. In vertebrates these sites include the pineal, chromatophores, brain, skin and harderian gland. There is evidence based on immunocytochemistry and action spectra that at least some of the skin and pineal receptors contain visual pigments, but like those of the rods, these do not match the spectral quality of the environmental light.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Endogenous circadian retinomotor movements in the neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi).

Retinomotor movements of retinal cones and pigment epithelium melanosomes were studied in the neon tetra, Paracheirodon innesi. The cone myoids clearly contracted during the daytime, but the migration of the total population of pigment granules was less easy to see. However, when rod-shaped melanosomes were measured separately from granular-shaped melanosomes it became evident that the rod-shaped melanosomes, but not the granular melanosomes, did migrate in response to circadian changes in light intensity. Retinomotor movements of both the cones and the rod-shaped melanosomes persisted for at least 2 days in continuous darkness. Microspectrophotometric measurements of spectral transmission of small groups of melanosomes showed that absorption was greatest at shorter wavelengths, but that there was also a distinct absorbance maximum at about 480 nm.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Changes in spectral reflexions from the iridophores of the neon tetra.

1. The iridescent stripe of the freshwater teleost, the neon tetra, changes from green in the daytime to violet-blue at night. 2. Spectral reflectance measurements were used to follow these colour changes. 3. Light causes a shift in reflectance to longer wavelengths in living fish and in isolated tissue from the lateral stripe. The change is reversed in darkness. 4. The spectral reflectance shifts to longer wavelengths when the fish is disturbed in darkness. No such colour changes were seen in fishes kept alive in 10(-4) M-reserpine. 5. Hypotonic Ringer solution causes a reflectance shift to longer wavelengths and hypertonic solution causes a shift to shorter wavelengths. 6. The iridescent reflexions from the lateral stripe which is continued across the iris originate from iridophores in the dermis. These iridophores contain regular stacks of broad, double-sided hexagonal plates that are about 10 nm thick. Each plate is contained within a pouch in the cytoplasm and is separated from its neighbour by approximately one quarter the wavelength of light. 7. A distinction is drawn between the physiologically active iridophores in the lateral stripe and iris that have broad hexagonal crystal plates which are very thin and the physiologically inactive iridophores that are also found in the iris, but in addition are found on the flanks below the lateral stripe, and on the head. These iridophores contain hexagonal crystals that are usually narrower than the active type, but are about 60-100 nm thick.

Animals↗