title: Importance of bicarbonate in retinal function.
abstract: This study demonstrates a requirement for bicarbonate in retinal function. Omission of bicarbonate, with either phosphate or Tris used to maintain a constant pH, leads to significant changes in both the electroretinogram potentials and metabolism of the isolated rat retina. Electroretinograms in bicarbonate-free media show a selective loss of the b wave and a decline in the amplitudes of the a wave and Slow PIII. Substitution of phosphate for bicarbonate causes a 60 and 52% decrease in aerobic and anaerobic lactate production, respectively, but this substitution leads to a 27% increase in aerobic retinal ATP content. It is suggested that the electrical effects of bicarbonate-free media are due to a decrease in utilization of ATP below critical levels at critical sites.
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000378:metabolism*; D004596:Electroretinography; D007773:Lactates / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D007773:Lactates; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate