Action of Potassium and Narcotics on Rectification in Nerve and Muscle

Abstract

Electrical rectification was demonstrated in whole sartorius muscle and sciatic nerve of Rana pipiens and also in the single giant nerve fiber of the northern squid, Ommastrephes illecibrossus. It is probably a property of the plasma membrane. Rectification decreases reversibly under the influence of increased concentrations of the potassium ion and with chloroform, veratrine sulfate and isoamyl carbamate. No effect was found with lack of calcium, excess calcium, or barium chloride. Decrease in rectification is invariably accompanied by simultaneous decrease in resting potential. A proposed explanation of the mechanism of rectification is discussed. Rectification in a living membrane, viz. a change in resistance with change in direction of current flow, may possibly be explained in terms of a change in the concentration of potassium ions in the membrane.

The Effect of Environmental Potassium and Calcium Concentrations on the Recovery of the Action Potential and Related Functions of Nerve

“…Limitation of the ability of Ca++ either to oppose the effects of K + or to produce effects opposite to those of K + has been observed many times with various nerve types and nerve functions (e.g. 3,13,14,21,15).…”

“…This level is somewhat higher than the 1.5 X standard indicated as critical for the height of the squid axon spike (4), but standard [K +] for squid axon is several thnes that for frog nerve. To decrease rectification in the squid axon, 4.8 X standard is required (14). The level may well vary with the tissue as well as with the function under consideration.…”

“…The stability of both the observed and the calculated durations of the absolutely rcfractory lperiod with high [Ca ++] in this series of experiments is in agreement witl~ earlier findings with separated testing and conditioning electrodes (8). Increase in the maximum degree of supernormal excitability is not always seen ( Experiments 11,14; cj. also (8), Fig.…”

Microscale Ionic Diodes: An Overview

“…Early studies of rectification effects in electrochemistry [15,16] and in electrophysiology were mainly concerned with biological processes [17,18]. Membranes in neuron cells have uni-directional ion channels [19].…”