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. 1976 Apr;256(3):663–689. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1976.sp011345

Influence of changes in external potassium and chloride ions on membrane potential and intracellular potassium ion activity in rabbit ventricular muscle

Harry A Fozzard 1, Chin Ok Lee 1,*
PMCID: PMC1309331  PMID: 1271296

Abstract

1. The membrane responses of rabbit papillary muscles to rapid changes in [K]o and [Cl]o were measured with open-tipped micropipettes and with closed micropipettes made from K-selective glass.

2. The muscle cells behaved primarily as a K electrode, and responses to changes in [K]o with constant [Cl]o or with constant [K]o × [Cl]o were substantially the same.

3. When [Cl]o was changed at a constant [K]o the membrane potentials changed rapidly and symmetrically by a small value and remained constant for 30 min.

4. Measurement of potential with K+-selective micro-electrodes in these experiments showed no change in intracellular K activity. In addition to permitting calculation of K permeability, these measurements reassured us that the K+-selective electrodes were well insulated and not influenced by electrical shunts at the impalement site.

5. Although the membrane response to changes in [Cl]o was small, it was possible to calculate that the permeability ratio (PCl/PK), was 0·11. The Cl and K conductances were about 0·015 mmho/cm2 and 0·09 mmho/cm2 respectively, resulting in a conductance ratio (gCl/gK) of about 0·17.

6. The time course of depolarization by increase in [K]o was rapid (half-time 5 sec), but repolarization on return to lower [K]o was much slower (half-time 50 sec). The depolarization time course was easily fitted by the potential change calculated by assuming the need for K diffusion into the extracellular spaces and taking account of the logarithmic relation between membrane potential and [K]o. These calculations did not fit the time course of repolarization, which was slowed in the fashion expected from an inward-rectifying membrane.

7. The influence of [K]i on membrane potential was investigated by changes in tonicity of the external solution. Hypotonic solution produced a change in intracellular K activity close to that produced by ideal water movement. However, in hypertonic solution, intracellular K activity did not rise as much as predicted, suggesting a change in intracellular activity coefficient.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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