The influence of chloride on the ouabain-sensitive membrane potential and conductance of crayfish giant axons.
1. Resting potential and current-voltage relation were measured in crayfish giant axons bathed in chloride-free and sodium-free solutions with and without ouabain. 2. Chloride-free solution caused a transient depolarization but did not alter the steady-state membrane potential. Utilizing isethionate as an anion substitute, the membrane resistance increased 12.5%. 3. In the absence of extracellular chloride, ouabain (0.5-1 mM) depolarized the axon 6-7 mV. The shape of the current-voltage relation did not change but the curve was shifted along the current axis. 4. These results indicate that ouabain inhibits a steady-state hyperpolarizing electrogenic pump current of approximately 3 muA/cm2. 5. Extracellular sodium removal from axons equilibrated in chloride-free solutions transiently hyperpolarized the membrane 6-7 mV without a change in membrane resistance. The transient hyperpolarization was ouabain and temperature sensitive. The steady-state potential reached in sodium-free and chloride-free solution was not ouabain sensitive. Temperature sensitivity of the steady-state membrane potential was greatly reduced. 6. The transient hyperpolarization produced by extracellular sodium removal was metabolically driven and may present the expression of a sodium efflux transport current of 7.0-7.5 muA/cm2. 7. Using electrophysiologically measured parameters, sodium and potassium conductance, influx and efflux currents and the coupling ratio for sodium/potassium transport are calculated from a modification of the conductance equation. 8. The sodium/potassium transport coupling ratio for steady-state conditions was estimated at 5:3 (1.67:1).
D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000502:physiology; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D007513:Isethionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008433:Mathematics; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
D002712:Chlorides; D010042:Ouabain; D007513:Isethionic Acid; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium