A dynamic X-ray diffraction study of anaesthesia action. Changes in myelin structure and electrical activity recorded simultaneously from frog sciatic nerves treated with n-alkanes.
Changes induced in the structure and electrical activity of myelin were recorded simultaneously from frog sciatic nerves treated with n-alkanes. The results suggest that the effect of n-alkanes seems to be two-fold: (a) there is an initial reversible phase, in which a significant modification of the X-ray diffraction patterns, concomitant with the continuous fall of the action potential, is observed; (b) there is a final phase which is irreversible. This occurs some time after the complete abolition of the electrical activity. At this stage, further changes of the X-ray diffraction patterns are detected, the most significant of them being in the n-pentane-treated myelin, and consist of an increase in the membrane bilayer thickness.
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000473:Alkanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects*; D011894:Rana pipiens; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000473:Alkanes; D000777:Anesthetics