Mechanical changes in crab nerve fibers during action potentials.

Tasaki, Ichiji; Iwasa, Kuni H.; Gibbons, Robert C.

doi:10.2170/jjphysiol.30.897

Cited by 50 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Following related earlier work [49,50], here we propose that the mechanical, optical and thermal changes associated with the action potential [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] are the result of an axoplasmic pressure pulse that accompanies the action potential and has a roughly similar duration. We have shown that, for both myelinated and unmyelinated axons of different diameters, such pressure pulses propagate with a velocity close to the measured action potential velocity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On Axoplasmic Pressure Waves and Their Possible Role in Nerve Impulse Propagation

Rvachev

2010

Biophys. Rev. Lett.

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It is suggested that the propagation of the action potential is accompanied by an axoplasmic pressure pulse propagating in the axoplasm along the axon length. The pressure pulse stretchmodulates voltage-gated Na + (Nav) channels embedded in the axon membrane, causing their accelerated activation and inactivation and increasing peak channel conductance. As a result, the action potential propagates due to mechano-electrical activation of Nav channels by straggling ionic currents and the axoplasmic pressure pulse. The velocity of such propagation is higher than in the classical purely electrical Nav activation mechanism, and it may be close to the velocity of propagation of pressure pulses in the axoplasm. Extracellular Ca 2+ ions influxing during the voltage spike, or Ca 2+ ions released from intracellular stores, may trigger a mechanism that generates and augments the pressure pulse, thus opposing its viscous decay. The model can potentially explain a number of phenomena that are not contained within the purely electrical Hodgkin-Huxley-type framework: the Meyer-Overton rule for the effectiveness of anesthetics, as well as various mechanical, optical and thermodynamic phenomena accompanying the action potential. It is shown that the velocity of propagation of axoplasmic pressure pulses is close to the measured velocity of the nerve impulse, both in absolute magnitude and in dependence on axon diameter, degree of myelination and temperature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On Axoplasmic Pressure Waves and Their Possible Role in Nerve Impulse Propagation

Rvachev

2010

Biophys. Rev. Lett.

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“…These pulse components, however, exist and include optical (2), thermal (15), magnetic (16) as well as mechanical (3)(4)(5)(6)17) changes at the cell surface. The latter have been studied with a variety of highly sensitive techniques (piezoelectric benders, interferometry, AFM).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cell Surface Deformation during an Action Potential

Fillafer

Mussel

Muchowski

et al. 2018

Biophysical Journal

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The excitation of many cells and tissues is associated with cell mechanical changes. The evidence presented herein corroborates that single cells deform during an action potential. It is demonstrated that excitation of plant cells (Chara braunii internodes) is accompanied by out-of-plane displacements of the cell surface in the micrometer range (∼1-10 μm). The onset of cellular deformation coincides with the depolarization phase of the action potential. The mechanical pulse: 1) propagates with the same velocity as the electrical pulse (within experimental accuracy, ∼10 mm s), 2) is reversible, 3) in most cases is of biphasic nature (109 out of 152 experiments), and 4) is presumably independent of actin-myosin-motility. The existence of transient mechanical changes in the cell cortex is confirmed by micropipette aspiration experiments. A theoretical analysis demonstrates that this observation can be explained by a reversible change in the mechanical properties of the cell surface (transmembrane pressure, surface tension, and bending rigidity). Taken together, these findings contribute to the ongoing debate about the physical nature of cellular excitability.

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“…This is equivalent to assuming that membrane dimensions are unaffected by electrical phenomena and that the excitation of membranes does not change their dimensions. The second of these assumptions is known to be incorrect because changes in the thickness of nerve membranes during the action potential have been observed (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Furthermore, there are numerous reports in the literature on voltage induced changes in membrane bending, i.e., caused by flexoelectricity or mechanoelectricity (15)(16)(17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Capacitance and Electromechanical Coupling of Lipid Membranes Close to Transitions: The Effect of Electrostriction

Heimburg

2012

Biophysical Journal

105

109

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Biomembranes are thin capacitors with the unique feature of displaying phase transitions in a physiologically relevant regime. We investigate the voltage and lateral pressure dependence of their capacitance close to their chain melting transition. Because the gel and the fluid membrane have different area and thickness, the capacitance of the two membrane phases is different. In the presence of external fields, charges exert forces that can influence the state of the membrane, thereby influencing the transition temperature. This phenomenon is called "electrostriction". We show that this effect allows us to introduce a capacitive susceptibility that assumes a maximum in the melting transition with an associated excess charge. As a consequence, voltage regimes exist in which a small change in voltage can lead to a large uptake of charge and a large capacitive current. Furthermore, we consider electromechanical behavior such as pressure-induced changes in capacitance, and the application of such concepts in biology.

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Mechanical changes in crab nerve fibers during action potentials.

Cited by 50 publications

References 9 publications

On Axoplasmic Pressure Waves and Their Possible Role in Nerve Impulse Propagation

On Axoplasmic Pressure Waves and Their Possible Role in Nerve Impulse Propagation

Cell Surface Deformation during an Action Potential

The Capacitance and Electromechanical Coupling of Lipid Membranes Close to Transitions: The Effect of Electrostriction

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