EIGHT FIGURESSince the glass capillary microelectrode for the measurement of resting and action potentials of the single muscle fiber was developed by Gerard and his co-workers (Graham and Gerard, '46; Ling and Gerard, '49), the electrical potential differences across the membranes of various cells and tissues have been measured extensively, especially in muscle and nerve of higher animals. However, very little is known about the potentials of protozoan cells. Kamada ('34) detected considerable resting potential across the membrane in Paramecium. This potential varied with the nature of the surrounding solution. More recently, in Opalina, Kinosita ('54) has found a clear correlation between the p. d. values across the cell membrane and the patterns of the metachronal wave of ciliary beating.For the present investigation the luminous flagellate Noctiluca scintillans was selected because of its large size and its tentacular activity. Inside-outside resting and action potentials were measured by means of both potentiometric and oscillographic devices.
MATERIAL AND METHODSSpecimens of Noctiluca collected from the sea were kept standing in Van't Hoff's artificial sea water f o r two t o three Present address :
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