Leppanen, Lisa and Peter K. Stys. Ion transport and membrane potential in CNS myelinated axons. I. Normoxic conditions. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 2086–2094, 1997. Compound resting membrane potential was recorded by the grease gap technique during normoxic conditions (37°C) in rat optic nerve, a representative CNS myelinated tract. Mean potential was −47 ± 3 (SD) mV and remained stable for 2–3 h. Input impedance of a single optic nerve axon was calculated to be ≈5 GΩ. Contribution of the Na+ pump to resting axonal potential is estimated at −7 mV. Ouabain (10 μM to 10 mM) evoked a dose-dependent depolarization that was maximal at ≥1 mM, depolarizing the nerves to ∼35–40% of control after 60 min. Inhibiting energy metabolism (CN− and iodoacetate) during high-dose ouabain (1–10 mM) exposure caused an additional depolarization, suggesting additional ATP-dependent, ouabain-insensitive ion transport systems. Perfusion with zero-Na+ (choline substituted) caused a transient hyperpolarization, that was greater than with tetrodotoxin (TTX; 1 μM) alone, indicating both TTX-sensitive and -insensitive Na+ influx pathways in resting rat optic nerve axons. Resting probability (P)K:PNa is calculated at 20:1. In contrast to choline-substituted solution, Li+-substituted zero-Na+ perfusate caused a rapid depolarization due to Na+ pump inhibition and the ability of Li+ to permeate the Na+ channel. TTX reduced, but did not prevent, ouabain- or zero-Na+/Li+–induced depolarization. We conclude that the primary Na+ influx path in resting rat optic nerve axons is the TTX-sensitive Na+ channel, with evidence for additional TTX-insensitive routes permeable to Na+ and Li+. In addition, maintenance of membrane potential is critically dependent on continuous Na+ pump activity due to the relatively high exchange of Na+ (via the above mentioned routes) and K+ across the membrane of resting optic axons.
Ion Transport and Membrane Potential in CNS Myelinated Axons I. Normoxic Conditions