scholarly journals Method for Tentative Evaluation of Membrane Permeability Coefficients for Sodium and Potassium Ions in Unicellular Organisms

2013 ◽  
Vol 03 (01) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atanas Todorov Atanasov
1964 ◽  
Vol 207 (2) ◽  
pp. 509-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Koketsu ◽  
R. Kitamura ◽  
R. Tanaka

The membrane fragments of bullfrog skeletal muscle fibers were isolated by a modification of the method of Kono and Colowick (1961). Radiocalcium ions were bound to these isolated membrane fragments, and the binding of calcium ions was impeded by both sodium and potassium ions. The extractable portion of the isolated membrane fragments with chloroform-methanol mixture bound calcium ions whereas no appreciable binding of calcium ions was observed with the extracted residue. The results suggested that the binding of calcium ions takes place on the lipid or lipoprotein of the so-called cytoplasmic membrane which plays an important role in regulating the membrane permeability and the membrane potential.


1963 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Kimizuka ◽  
K. Koketsu

The changes in the membrane permeability to sodium, potassium, and chloride ions as well as the changes in the intracellular concentration of these ions were studied on frog sartorius muscles in Ca-free EDTA solution. It was found that the rate constants for potassium and chloride efflux became almost constant within 10 minutes in the absence of external calcium ions, that for potassium increasing to 1.5 to 2 times normal and that for chloride decreasing about one-half. The sodium influx in Ca-free EDTA solution, between 30 and 40 minutes, was about 4 times that in Ringer's solution. The intracellular sodium and potassium contents did not change appreciably but the intracellular chloride content had increased to about 4 times normal after 40 minutes. By applying the constant field theory to these results, it was concluded that (a) PCl did not change appreciably whereas PK decreased to a level that, in the interval between 10 and 40 minutes, was about one-half normal, (b) PNa increased until between 30 and 40 minutes it was about 8 times normal. The low value of the membrane potential between 30 and 40 minutes was explained in terms of the changes in the membrane permeability and the intracellular ion concentrations. The mechanism for membrane depolarization in this solution was briefly discussed.


1961 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-322
Author(s):  
J. E. TREHERNE

1. The influx of sodium and potassium ions into the central nervous system of Periplaneta americana has been studied by measuring the increase in radioactivity within the abdominal nerve cord following the injection of 24NA and 42K. into the haemolymph. 2. The calculated influx of sodium ions was approximately 320 mM./l. of nerve cord water/hr. and of potassium ions was 312 mM./l. of nerve cord water/hr. These values are very approximately equivalent to an influx per unit area of nerve cord surface of 13.9 x 10-2 M cm. -2 sec.-1 for sodium and 13.5 x 10-12 M cm. -2 sec.-1 for potassium ions. 3. The relatively rapid influxes of these ions are discussed in relation to the postulated function of the nerve sheath as a diffusion barrier. It is suggested that a dynamic steady state rather than a static impermeability must exist across the sheath surrounding the central nervous system in this insect.


1976 ◽  
Vol 231 (4) ◽  
pp. 1033-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Schoepfle

Repetitive stimulation of a single medullated nerve fiber of Xenopus yields a succession of postspike voltage-time curves which are nearly coincident until attainment of a voltage that corresponds to that of the maximum attained by the normal postspike undershoot. Initially the interspike potential returns toward a resting level after this brief phase of hyperpolarization. However, as tetanization proceeds, a pattern of hyperpolarization develops with the result that, in the tetanic steady state, there exists a progressive hyperpolarization throughout each interspike interval. Extent of postspike hyperpolarization in terms of a deviation deltaVm from the resting level of membrane potential is approximated by the variation deltaVm = delta[MNa + MK]/[GNa + GK] where MNa and MK are current densities associated with active pumping of sodium and potassium ions and GNa and GK are corresponding time-dependent leak conductances. Tetanic hyperpolarization is reversibly abolished by cyanide and by exposure to lithium Ringer. Eventual reappearance of tetanic hyperpolarization in the presence of lithium Ringer suggests lithium pumping.


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