The distribution of taurine in the vertebrate retina

Abstract

METHODS Tisszrc pi~/) at~~-atio~ i. Eyes were removed from chicks and frogs killed by decapitation. rabbits killed by cervical fracture. a rhesus monkey anesthctizcd with Sernylan and pentobarbital. and a cat anesthetized with ether and then decapitated. All animals had been adapted to room light. After removal, thc eyes were fro7en in liquid nitrogen which had been partially frozen by subjection to a vacuum for 15-20 min. This providcs very rapid cooling since gas bubbles arc not formed, and consequently even the largest eyes were rapidly frozen without the formation of large ice crystals. Tangential 6 PM sections were cut at-20 C. and dried under vacuum at-40 C (LOWKY & PASSONNEAI;. 1972). The dried scctions were stored at-20 C under vacLlum until used. Samples (100-300ng) were dissected at room temperature. weighed on a fishpole balance.