Reversed potentials of isolated frog skin

✍ Scribed by Martin, Duncan W.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1964
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 541 KB
• Volume: 63
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9898
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1030630215

✦ Synopsis

Jorgensen et al. ('54) showed that adult anurans may selectively be depleted of C1 independently of Na; after making C1 available to the animals the deficit was restored.

In their study on the cutaneous uptake of C1 by intact frogs, Jorgensen et al. reported that some animals exhibited skin potentials in which the inside (corium) of the frog was electronegative with respect to the bathing medium. In Jorgensen's experiments a dilute KC1 solution ( 3 mM) was substituted for NaCl on the outside so that there would be no potential difference produced by the active transport of Na. Eight of the 15 frogs showed the reversed polarity or negative potentials.

In the experiments reported here this negative potential was studied in both in vivo and in vitro preparations. Most of these experiments were carried out on the isolated skin because the use of the whole animal is accompanied by additional technical difficulties. Factors which affect the negative potential were studied and evidence is presented as to the basis for the negative skin potential.