scholarly journals Temperature Characteristics of Excitation in Space-Clamped Squid Axons

1966 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1007-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Guttman ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Giant Axon ◽  
Threshold Current ◽  
Threshold Current Density ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Axon Membrane ◽  
Temperature Characteristics ◽  
Gap Technique ◽  
Threshold Strength ◽  
Sucrose Gap ◽  
Good Agreement

Temperature characteristics of excitability in the squid giant axon were measured for the space-clamped axon with the double sucrose gap technique. Threshold strength-duration curves were obtained for square wave current pulses from 10 µsec to 10 msec and at temperatures from 5°C to 35°C. The threshold change of potential, at which an action potential separated from a subthreshold response, averaged 17 mv at 20°C with a Q10 of 1.15. The average threshold current density at rheobase was 12 µa/cm2 at 20°C with a Q10 of 2.35 compared to 2.3 obtained previously. At short times the threshold charge was 1.5·10-8 coul/cm2. This was relatively independent of temperature and occasionally showed a minimum in the temperature range. At intermediate times and all temperatures the threshold currents were less than for both the single time constant model and the two factor excitation process as developed by Hill. FitzHugh has made computer investigations of the effect of temperature on the excitation of the squid axon membrane as represented by the Hodgkin-Huxley equations. These are in general in good agreement with our experimental results.

scholarly journals Effect of Temperature on the Potential and Current Thresholds of Axon Membrane

1962 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Guttman ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Water ◽  
Sucrose Solution ◽  
Giant Axon ◽  
Threshold Current ◽  
Squid Giant Axon ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Threshold Potential ◽  
Axon Membrane ◽  
Central Segment ◽  
The Mean

The effect of temperature on the potential and current thresholds of the squid giant axon membrane was measured with gross external electrodes. A central segment of the axon, 0.8 mm long and in sea water, was isolated by flowing low conductance, isoosmotic sucrose solution on each side; both ends were depolarized in isoosmotic KCl. Measured biphasic square wave currents at five cycles per second were applied between one end of the nerve and the membrane of the central segment. The membrane potential was recorded between the central sea water and the other depolarized end. The recorded potentials are developed only across the membrane impedance. Threshold current values ranged from 3.2 µa at 267deg;C to 1 µa at 7.5°C. Threshold potential values ranged from 50 mv at 26°C to 6 mv at 7.5°C. The mean Q10 of threshold current was 2.3 (SD = 0.2), while the Q10 for threshold potentials was 2.0 (SD = 0.1).

scholarly journals Membrane Potentials of the Lobster Giant Axon Obtained by Use of the Sucrose-Gap Technique

1962 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1195-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred J. Julian ◽  
John W. Moore ◽  
David E. Goldman
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Action Potential ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Sucrose Solution ◽  
Chloride Concentration ◽  
Giant Axon ◽  
Membrane Resistance ◽  
Resting Potential ◽  
Gap Technique ◽  
Sucrose Gap

A method similar to the sucrose-gap technique introduced be Stäpfli is described for measuring membrane potential and current in singly lobster giant axons (diameter about 100 micra). The isotonic sucrose solution used to perfuse the gaps raises the external leakage resistance so that the recorded potential is only about 5 per cent less than the actual membrane potential. However, the resting potential of an axon in the sucrose-gap arrangement is increased 20 to 60 mv over that recorded by a conventional micropipette electrode when the entire axon is bathed in sea water. A complete explanation for this effect has not been discovered. The relation between resting potential and external potassium and sodium ion concentrations shows that potassium carries most of the current in a depolarized axon in the sucrose-gap arrangement, but that near the resting potential other ions make significant contributions. Lowering the external chloride concentration decreases the resting potential. Varying the concentration of the sucrose solution has little effect. A study of the impedance changes associated with the action potential shows that the membrane resistance decreases to a minimum at the peak of the spike and returns to near its initial value before repolarization is complete (a normal lobster giant axon action potential does not have an undershoot). Action potentials recorded simultaneously by the sucrose-gap technique and by micropipette electrodes are practically superposable.

scholarly journals Effect of Ethanol on the Sodium and Potassium Conductances of the Squid Axon Membrane

1964 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Moore ◽  
Werner Ulbricht ◽  
Mitsuru Takata
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Squid Axon ◽  
Membrane Action ◽  
Axon Membrane ◽  
Gap Technique ◽  
Potassium Conductances ◽  
Steady State Inactivation ◽  
Sucrose Gap ◽  
Sodium And Potassium

The effects of ethanol on squid giant axons were studied by means of the sucrose-gap technique. The membrane action potential height is moderately reduced and the duration sometimes shortened by ethanol in sea water. Voltage clamp experiments showed that ethanol in sea water reduced the maximum membrane conductances for sodium (g'Na) and potassium (g'K). In experiments with multiple application of ethyl alcohol to the same spot of membrane, a reduction of g'Na to 82 per cent and of g'K to 80 per cent of their value in sea water was brought about by 3 per cent ethanol (by volume) while 6 per cent caused a decrease of g'Na to 59 per cent and of g'K to 69 per cent. Ethanol has no significant effect on the steady-state inactivation of gNa (as a function of conditioning membrane potential) or on such kinetic parameters as τh or the time course of turning on gi gNa and gK. It is concluded that ethanol mainly reduces gNa and gK in the Hodgkin-Huxley terminology.

scholarly journals In Situ Observation of Electron-Beam-Induced Formation of Nano-Structures in PbTe

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Iryna Zelenina ◽  
Igor Veremchuk ◽  
Yuri Grin ◽  
Paul Simon
Keyword(s):  
Electron Beam ◽  
Gas Phase ◽  
Threshold Current ◽  
Threshold Current Density ◽  
Atomic Scale ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Nano Structures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Initial Crystal

Nano-scaled thermoelectric materials attract significant interest due to their improved physical properties as compared to bulk materials. Well-shaped nanoparticles such as nano-bars and nano-cubes were observed in the known thermoelectric material PbTe. Their extended two-dimensional nano-layer arrangements form directly in situ through electron-beam treatment in the transmission electron microscope. The experiments show the atomistic depletion mechanism of the initial crystal and the recrystallization of PbTe nanoparticles out of the microparticles due to the local atomic-scale transport via the gas phase beyond a threshold current density of the beam.

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