Heavy metals affect rod, but not cone, photoreceptors.
Low concentrations of lead, mercury, or cadmium depress the amplitude of the rod receptor potential in the perfused bullfrog retina. Responses from the cones were not affected. The data implicate the rods as a lesion site in animals exhibiting scotopic vision deficits as a result of heavy metal poisoning.
D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007854:Lead / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008628:Mercury / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011892:Rana catesbeiana
D002413:Cations, Divalent; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury