The effect of iodide and thiocyanate ions on the mechanical and electrical properties of frog muscle

✍ Scribed by Lubin, Martin

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1957
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 703 KB
• Volume: 49
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0095-9898
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1030490214

✦ Synopsis

THREE FIGURES

The link between the action potential of the striated muscle fiber and the contractile process which follows within milliseconds is not known. Almost all stimuli which produce propagated o r non-propagated contraction in excitable muscle have one common feature: the reduction of the membrane potential of the muscle fiber (Katz, '50), but no adequate explanation of how this surface depolarization causes a rapid change in the contractile proteins of the interior has been advanced. Each theory has been followed by detailed experimental refutations (Sandow, '52 ; Sten-Ihudson, '54).

The depolarization in a propagated action potential has been interpreted as a sequential movement of ions across the membrane -i.e. a net influx of sodium ions followed by a net efflux of potassium ions, witli only a small contribution of chloride ion to the net current (Hoclgkin and Husley, '52; Keynes, '51). The experiments have been more extensive on invertebrate nerve fibers than on striated muscle fibers, but the major features of conduction in many nerves and This work comprised a portion of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.