STUDIES ON WATER AND ELECTROLYTES IN NERVOUS TISSUE: I. RABBIT RETINA: METHODS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Abstract

Rabbit retina had unique advantages for the in vitro study of water and electrolyte movements across nerve cell membranes. It could be isolated within 30 seconds and maintained during control incubations in a condition closely approaching the in vivo state. Methods were developed for analyzing each retina for water, total solids, Na, K, Cl, and P with an accuracy of about 1%. Intracellular constituents were calculated assuming that either inulin or Cl was limited to the extracellular fluid. The "Cl space" was about 1/3 larger than the "inulin space", and possible reasons for this are discussed.