• Applied Microscopy
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.115-123
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• 1995

This study was carried out to observe the functional ultrastructures of photoreceptor cells in frog(Rana catesbeiana) retina using transmission electron microscope. The photoreceptor cells are divided into two types-rod and cone cells-consist of outer and inner segment. The long outer segment of rod cell contains dense stacks of membrane and formed vertical and horizontal folds. The outer segment of cone cell is small, and vertical and horizontal folds are not exist. The electron dense cytoplasm of rod cell contains compact mitochondria, Golgi complexes, and endoplasmic reticula. The inner segment of cone cell shows low electron density and contains a large lipid droplet in the upper part of inner segment. In addition, cone cell contains many mitochondria, Golgi complexes. rough endoplasmic reticula, ribosomes and numerous glycogen particles. It is believed that these ultrastructural characteristics are closely associated with photoreceptive function of photoreceptor cells in frog retina.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제50권
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• pp.11.1-11.3
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• 2020

The human turbinate-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hTMSCs), which were DiI-labeled and transplanted into the subretinal space in degenerating mouse retina, were observed in retinal vertical sections processed for rhodopsin (a marker for rod photoreceptor) by confocal microscope with differential interference contrast (DIC) filters. The images clearly demonstrated that DiI-labeled hTMSCs have rhodopsin-immunoreactive appendages, indicating differentiation of transplanted hTMSC into rod photoreceptor. Conclusively, the finding suggests therapeutic potential of hTMSCs in retinal degeneration.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.171-181
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• 2019

To produce healthy and stable seed production, we need to obtain information and understand vision that affects behavior of red spotted grouper. We examined their expression and retinal development during the juvenile development. Short-wavelength sensitive opsin (SWS2), a cone photoreceptor, began to be expressed from lens and ear vesicle formation stage and its expression increased until 10 days after hatching (dah). In case of middle-wavelength sensitive opsin (MWS), its expression was detected at 3 dah and reached the highest level at 21 dah. The expression of long-wavelength sensitive opsin (LWS) was first observed from 3 dah and their expression decreased thereafter. Rhodopsin, a rod photoreceptor, was found to be expressed from 2 dah and its expression reached the highest level at 50 dah. The outer nuclear layer (ONL), inner nuclear layer (INL) and ganglion cell layer began to differentiate at 2 dah, while choroid first appeared at 4 dah so that the eyes became black. These results indicate that the development of retina mostly completes around 4 dah. It seems that the development of the retina and the expression of the opsin genes are closely related to the behavior such as hunting prey, considering that the timing of the completion of the development of the retina, the timing of gene expression, and the timing of completion of yolk absorption are similar.

• BMB Reports
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.372-379
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• 1996

Components I and II (CI&II) are major phosphoproteins in the frog rod outer segments (ROS) of retina, whose phosphorylation is light- and cyclic nucleotide-dependent. Although it was reported that CI & II could be chemically cross-linked to ${\beta}{\gamma}-subunit$ of transducin (${\beta}{\gamma}_t$), it was not clear whether CI&II physically interact with ${\beta}{\gamma}_t$, under native conditions. CI&II extracted by hypotonic washing fo ROS membranes showed an overlapped migration with ${\beta}{\gamma}_t$, in sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The elution profile of CI&II in the peripheral membrane fractions from gel filtration chromatography also overlapped that of ${\beta}{\gamma}_t$. These hydrodynamic parameters indicate that the native molecular state of CI&II in the peripheral membrane fraction appears to be within a complex, most likely with ${\beta}{\gamma}_t$. CI&II coeluted with ${\beta}{\gamma}_t$, showed no phosphorylation by endogenous kinase which phosphorylates a serine of CI&II in other fractions. The purified CI&II were not able to inhibit trypsin-activated cGMP-phosphodiesterase, and CI&II were not recognized by a monoclonal antibody against the ${\gamma}-subunit$ of transducin, indicating that CI&II are not y-subunit of PDE or transducin. Thus, it is likely that native CI&II, which undergo a light-dependent phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle, can associate with ${\beta}{\gamma}$, in frog photoreceptor membranes, and the complex formation has an inhibitory effect on the endogenous phosphorylation of CI&II.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.275-277
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• 2002

We have recently found that a detergent-resistant raft like membrane (DRM) can be prepared from bovine rod outer segment membranes as a low-density buoyant fraction in sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. G protein (transducin) and its effector enzyme (phosphodiesterase: PDE) drastically change their affinities to DRM in the process of phototransduction. We report here that the recruitment of transducin and/or $^2$PDE to DRM has close relationship with their states in signal transduction. Active T$\alpha$/PDE-complex has a high affinity to DRM, whereas inactive transducin, or inactive PDE are excluded from DRM. Active T$\alpha$/PDE-complex seems to bind to a GTPase activating protein (GRS9) in multi- protein complexes localized on DRM. Physiological significance of the multi-protein complex on the raft-like membrane in vertebrate phototransduction would be discussed.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.265-275
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• 2009

G Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediating wide ranges of physiological responses is one of the most attractive targets for drug development. Rhodopsin, a dim-light photoreceptor, has been extensively used as a model system for structural and functional study of GPCRs. Fish have rhodopsin finely-tuned to their habitats where the intensity and the wavelength of lights are changed depending on its water-depth. To study the detailed molecular characteristics of GPCR architecture and to understand the fishery light-sensing system, genes encoding rod opsins were isolated from fishes living under different photic environments. Full-length rod opsin genes were obtained by combination of PCR amplification and DNA walking strategy of genomic DNA isolated from olive flounder, P. olivaceus, Japanese eel, A. japonica, and Common carp C. carpio. Deduced amino acid sequences showed a typical feature of rod opsins including the sites for Schiffs base formation (Lys296) and its counter ion (Glu113), disulfide formation (Cys110 and Cys187), and palmitoylation (Cys322 and Cys323) although Cys322 is replaced by Phe in Japanese eel. Comparison of opsins by amino acid sequence alignment indicated the closest similarity between P. olivaceus and H. hippoglossus (94%), A. japonica and A. anguilla (98%), and C. carpio and C. auratus (95%), respectively.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.47-50
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• 2002

Raft is a distinctive membrane domain enriched in a certain class of lipids, cholesterol, and proteins observed on the plasma membrane. Growing evidence has revealed that such membrane domains play key roles in signal transduction, fertilization, development, transmitter release, and so on. Recently, we have isolated raft-like detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) fraction from bovine photoreceptor rod outer segments. Transducin and its effecter, cGMP-phosphodiesterase, elicited stimulus-dependent translocation between detergent-soluble membrane and DRM. This suggested potential importance of such distinct membrane domains in vertebrate phototransduction. Here, we will discuss physiological meaning of the translocation of major components of cGMP cascade to raft-like membrane in phototransduction. We would like to propose a hypothesis that raft-like membrane domains on the disk membrane are the place where cGMP cascade system could be quenched.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.373-379
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• 2008

Recently, we reported the existence of AII "rod" amacrine cells in the retina of the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Jeon et al., 2007). In order to enhance our understanding of bat vision, in the present study, we report on a quantitative analysis of cone and rod photoreceptors. The average cone density was $9,535cells/mm^2$, giving a total number of cones of 33,538 cells/retina. The average rod density was $368,891cells/mm^2$, giving a total number of rods of 1,303,517 cells. On average, the total populations of rods were 97.49%, and cones were 2.51% of all the photoreceptors. Rod: cone ratios ranged from 33.85:1 centrally to 42.26:1 peripherally, with a mean ratio of 38.96:1. The average regularity index of the cone mosaic in bat retina was 3.04. The present results confirm the greater horseshoe bat retina to be strongly rod-dominated. The rod-dominated retina, with the existence of AII cells discovered in our previous study, strongly suggests that the greater horseshoe bat retina has a functional scotopic property of vision. However, the existence of cone cells also suggests that the bat retina has a functional photopic property of vision.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.284-286
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• 2002

The inverted retina of the Onchidium dorsal eye (DE) is composed only of ciliary-type photoreceptor cells (CC's). The outer segment (OS) of the CC is a concentric lamellar structure consisting of many modified ciliary membranes and stains positively with anti-$\beta$-tubulin antibody. Near the base of the OS there are about 30 basal bodies each connecting individually to a cilium. The cilia are rod-shaped at the base, progressing upwards to a flattened sheet-like shape with increasing surface area. Three-dimensional analysis on serial sections demonstrates the ladle-shape of a modified cilium. Many modified cilia wrap around each other like the leaves of a cabbage. Nine pairs of microtubules (MT's) are located regularly in a ring at the base of the cilium, gradually losing their regular arrangement towards the periphery, where they separate into two subgroups that are contained within two swollen portions of a modified cilium. Within the CC of the Onchidium DE, MT's in the modified cilium exist as two poles extending longitudinally in a thin expanded ciliary membrane. This arrangement may support the photoreceptive OS and serve to maintain its structural integrity.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.260-267
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• 2004

Transducin (T), the heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein in rod outer segments, serves as an intermediary between the receptor protein, rhodopsin, and the effector protein, cGMP phosphodiesterase. Labeling of T with dansyl chloride (DnsCl) inhibited its light-dependent guanine nucleotide binding activity. Conversely, DnsCl had no effect on the functionality of rhodopsin. Approximately 2-3 mol of DnsCl were incorporated per mole of T. Since fluoroaluminate was capable of activating DnsCl-modified T, this lysine-specific labeling compound did not affect the guanine nucleotide-binding pocket of T. However, the labeling of T with DnsCl hindered its binding to photoexcited rhodopsin, as shown by sedimentation experiments. Additionally, rhodopsin completely protected against the DnsCl inactivation of T. These results demonstrated the existence of functional lysines on T that are located in the proximity of the interaction site with the photoreceptor protein.