Optical Measurements of the Rapid pH-Change in the Visual Process during the Metarhodopsin I-II Reaction

Abstract

Absorption changes indicating the metarhodopsin I -II reaction and rapid pH-changes are measured as a function of pH in isolated bovine rod outer segments (ROS), using a rapid registrating flash photometer. An alkalization of the ROS-containing solution is observed which runs parallel to the metarhodopsin I -II reaction. In this process dissociable groups with pK-values at pH 6.3 and 10.5 are involved.