Standing potential and c-wave during changes in PO2 and flow in the perfused cat eye

Changing flow rate (F) in arterially perfused cat eyes concomitantly alters the supply of O₂ and greatly affects electrical signals: increasing F increases the standing potential (SP) and decreasing F induces the opposite. Corresponding effects on c-wave are more variable.To separate changes in supply of O₂ from changes in F we performed two types of experiments: (1) changing supply of O₂ while keeping F constant; this was done by switching to a perfusate of different PO₂: and (2) changing F while keeping the supply of O₂ constant; this was done by switching to hypoxic or hyperoxic perfusates and adjusting F to keep the b-wave amplitude constant.Results (1): Decrease in PO₂ left the SP essentially unaffected, but increased the c-wave. Increase in PO₂ tended to increase the SP and to decrease the c-wave. Results (2): Isolated decrease in F did not affect the SP consistently and left the c-wave unchanged. Isolated increase in F often increased the SP, but also left the c-wave unchanged.Covariation between SP and amplitude to the c-wave was absent during hyperoxia.