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Abstract

The Musculus sphincter pupillae of the toad Discoglossus pictus contracts when exposed to light, even if the iris with the muscle is cut out of the eye. Normally the size of the pupil is controlled by this photosensitivity and in addition by a nervous control mechanism. —Experiments are discribed in which the M. sphincter pupillae of the isolated iris was stimulated by various light programs. The contractile force was measured isometrically with a compensation system. It is shown that the response of the sphincter-muscle to changing light stimuli depends on the mean light intensity; i.e. the sphincter-muscle is an adapting system. The amplitude and phaseshift of the reactions to sinusoidal light stimuli were measured. When stimulus and response are both considered as functions of time, the transformation of stimulus in response by the muscle is linear, provided that the frequency of the sinusoidal light is high and its intensity and modulation degree are low. From this result the hypothesis is derived, that the transformation of stimulus into response is linear only when the level of adaptation does not change during contraction. From the response to sinusoidal light program it was possible to predict the reaction to square wave light programs. The time-course of the reaction to step up light stimuli are similar to the time-course of receptor potentials of phasic-tonic sense cells, showing a maximum, a minimum and a plateau. Within certain limits the amplitude of the reaction depends linearly on the tension of the muscle. Since in isometric experiments the reaction consists of an increase of muscle tension, the muscle becomes more sensitive during reaction and the contractile force increases for a long time, even when light intensity is held constant.