Simultaneous intracellular and sucrose-gap recordings showed, in contrast to previous findings, that the electrical parameters of giant axons were similar to intact and desheathed connectives bathed with the ‘extracellular Ringer’ of Yamasaki & Narahashi. This implies that the extra-axonal sodium concentration, in situ, is likely to be lower than had been previously supposed. Axonal responses showed that, despite the high blood concentration of 24–2 mM-K+ measured by flame photometry, the effective concentration in the blood was 10–15 mM-K+ which corresponds to the measurements made with potassium-selective electrodes. The activity of the blood potassium ions caused a marked reduction in the amplitude of the action potentials following surgical desheathing or disruption of the blood-brain barrier with hypertonic urea. It is suggested that a regulatory mechanism exists in the central nervous system which counteracts the effects of the high blood potassium level.
An electrophysiological analysis of extra-axonal sodium and potassium concentrations in the central nervous system of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.)
M. V. Thomas, J. E. Treherne; An electrophysiological analysis of extra-axonal sodium and potassium concentrations in the central nervous system of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.). J Exp Biol 1 December 1975; 63 (3): 801–811. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.63.3.801
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