PHOTOSENSORY TRANSDUCTION IN CILIATES .3. THE TEMPORAL RELATION BETWEEN MEMBRANE-POTENTIALS AND PHOTOMOTILE RESPONSES IN BLEPHARISMA-JAPONICUM

Blepharisma japonicum exhibits a step-up photophobic response when subjected to an increase in light stimulus intensity. This response is characterized by the stop reaction after a period of delay followed by backward swimming (lateral rotation). The latency of the stop response decreased and duration of the lateral rotation increased as the intensity of light stimuli was raised. A step-increase in light intensity elicited a graded membrane depolarization (photic receptor potential), as measured by intracellular microelectrode. When the amplitude of receptor potential exceeded a threshold depolarization for membrane excitation (15-25 mV), an all-or-none action potential of 50-65 mV in amplitude was evoked which also occurred with some latency. Light stimuli of higher intensity (suprathreshold) elicited action potential which was followed by a membrane after-depolarization. Increasing the intensity of stimuli caused generation of an action potential with shorter lag period and prolonged after-depolarization. The action spectra for the latency of stop reaction, receptor potential amplitude and cell photoresponsiveness showed maxima at 460, 530 and 580 nm. The analysis of temporal relationships between the electrophysiological responses and the motile events showed that latency of an action potential, induced by the receptor potential, correlates well with the latency of a cell stop response. Also the duration of membrane after-depolarization resembled the time period of the cell's backward swimming (cell rotation). The data obtained indicate that the primary reaction initiated by light absorption in the photoreceptor pigment (blepharismin) is converted into the observed electrical potential changes, which in turn results in the photomotile response of Blepharisma cells.