title: Physicochemical study of receptive mechanism of laryngeal water fibers in the rabbit.
abstract: The effects of various cations on the water unit activity were studied by recording unitary discharges in the superior laryngeal nerve fibers of the rabbit. Chloride salts of Li+, Na+, K+, Cs+ depressed the water response, while sulfate salts of Li+, Na+, NH4+, K+ facilitated it. Cations were less effective in stimulating action than anions. The depression of the water response in the laryngeal nerve has been thought to be caused by permeation of the stimulating anions through the receptor membrane and/or by destruction of the water structure on the membrane surface induced by adsorbed anions (SHINGAI, 1977 a). In order to differentiate these two possible actions of anions, the effects of benzenesulfonate and trichloroacetate were examined, because these anions were expected to be impermeant through the receptor membrane and to have a water structure-breaking effect. These anions showed no effect on the water response in concentrations below 320 mM. Measurements of the viscosity and the density of the electrolyte solutions showed that benzenesulfonate had a strong water structure-breaking effect. These results suggested that impermeant anions having water structure-breaking actions do not influence the excitability of the water receptor and that the depression of the water response by anions in the stimulating solution is caused by a hyperpolarization generated by permeation of the anions through the receptor membrane.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D002586:Cesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D007823:Laryngeal Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D014867:Water; D002586:Cesium; D014238:Trichloroacetic Acid; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium