Presently we investigated the electrical conductivity and optical transparency of Müller cell intermediate filaments. For comparison, the same properties were also explored in the model system of single-wall carbon nanotubes. We report the method of separation and purification of porcine (Sus scrofa domestica) intermediate filaments, extracted from the retinal Müller cells. We also report experimental and theoretical methods of measurements and calculations of the resistivity and light transmission yield by the intermediate filaments and single wall carbon nanotubes. The measured resistivity values were (4.7±0.3)×10^-4 and (2.8±0.2)×10^-4 Ω⋅m^-1⋅cm² at 5°C (278 K), for the intermediate filaments and single wall carbon nanotubes, respectively, being quite close to those of typical metals. We report a method for measuring the light energy transmission by these nanostructures. We found that they efficiently transfer excitation energy along their axis, with the light reemitted at their other end. The measured yields of transferred light energy were 0.50±0.03 and 0.26±0.02 for intermediate filaments and single wall carbon nanotubes, respectively (λ_exc = 546.1 nm; T = 288 K). The reported results are novel, providing a direct confirmation of the earlier proposed quantum mechanism of light energy transport in the inverted retina of vertebrates. Our data also show that Müller cell intermediate filaments, in addition to their cytoskeletal function, are capable of providing for the light energy transfer within the inverted retina. The data obtained enable a significant progress in our understanding of the high-contrast vision of the vertebrate eyes. The most important conclusion of the current study is the discovery of light energy propagation along natural biological nanofibers (intermediate filaments). This result is completely novel and unique, being reported for the first time.

目前，我们研究了Müller细胞中间丝的导电性和光学透明性。为了进行比较，在单壁碳纳米管的模型系统中还探索了相同的特性。我们报告了分离和纯化从视网膜Müller细胞中提取的猪（Sus scrofa domestica）中间丝的方法。我们还报告了通过实验和理论方法测量和计算中间丝和单壁碳纳米管的电阻率和透光率。所测量的电阻率值分别为（4.7±0.3）×10 ^-4和（2.8±0.2）×10 ^-4 Ω⋅m ^-1 ⋅cm ²在5°C（278 K）下，中间丝和单壁碳纳米管分别非常接近典型金属的碳纳米管和单壁碳纳米管。我们报告了一种通过这些纳米结构测量光能传输的方法。我们发现，它们沿其轴有效地传递了激发能，而另一端重新发出了光。传送光能量的测量的产率分别为0.50±0.03和分别用于中间纤维和单壁碳纳米管，0.26±0.02（λ _EXC = 546.1纳米; Ť= 288 K）。报道的结果是新颖的，直接证实了较早提出的脊椎动物倒视网膜中光能传输的量子机制。我们的数据还表明，穆勒细胞中间丝除了具有细胞骨架功能外，还能够提供反向视网膜内的光能转移。获得的数据使我们在了解脊椎动物眼睛的高对比度视觉方面取得了重大进展。当前研究的最重要结论是发现光能沿天然生物纳米纤维（中间丝）传播。该结果是完全新颖和独特的，这是首次报道。