Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Biophysical Journal logoLink to Biophysical Journal
. 1979 Jun;26(3):585–590. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(79)85273-X

n-Alkanols potentiate sodium channel inactivation in squid giant axons.

G S Oxford, R P Swenson
PMCID: PMC1328572  PMID: 233577

Abstract

The effects of n-octanol and n-decanol on nerve membrane sodium channels were examined in internally perfused, voltage-clamped squid giant axons. Both n-octanol and n-decanol almost completely eliminated the residual sodium conductance at the end of 8-ms voltage steps. In contrast, peak sodium conductance was only partially reduced. This block of peak and residual sodium conductance was very reversible and seen with both internal and external alkanol application. The differential sensitivity of peak and residual conductance to alkanol treatment was eliminated after internal pronase treatment, suggesting that n-octanol and n-decanol enhance the normal inactivation mechanism rather than directly blocking channels in a time-dependent manner.

Full text

PDF
585

Selected References

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

  1. ARMSTRONG C. M., BINSTOCK L. THE EFFECTS OF SEVERAL ALCOHOLS ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE SQUID GIANT AXON. J Gen Physiol. 1964 Nov;48:265–277. doi: 10.1085/jgp.48.2.265. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Armstrong C. M., Bezanilla F., Rojas E. Destruction of sodium conductance inactivation in squid axons perfused with pronase. J Gen Physiol. 1973 Oct;62(4):375–391. doi: 10.1085/jgp.62.4.375. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bezanilla F., Armstrong C. M. Inactivation of the sodium channel. I. Sodium current experiments. J Gen Physiol. 1977 Nov;70(5):549–566. doi: 10.1085/jgp.70.5.549. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cahalan M. D. Local anesthetic block of sodium channels in normal and pronase-treated squid giant axons. Biophys J. 1978 Aug;23(2):285–311. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(78)85449-6. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Chandler W. K., Meves H. Evidence for two types of sodium conductance in axons perfused with sodium fluoride solution. J Physiol. 1970 Dec;211(3):653–678. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009298. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chandler W. K., Meves H. Incomplete sodium inactivation in internally perfused giant axons from Loligo forbesi. J Physiol. 1966 Oct;186(2):121P–122P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Chandler W. K., Meves H. Sodium and potassium currents in squid axons perfused with fluoride solutions. J Physiol. 1970 Dec;211(3):623–652. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009297. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gage P. W., McBurney R. N., Van Helden D. Octanol reduces end-plate channel lifetime. J Physiol. 1978 Jan;274:279–298. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1978.sp012147. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Grisham C. M., Barnett R. E. The effects of long-chain alcohols on membrane lipids and the (Na++K+)-ATPase. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1973 Jul 6;311(3):417–422. doi: 10.1016/0005-2736(73)90322-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HODGKIN A. L., HUXLEY A. F. A quantitative description of membrane current and its application to conduction and excitation in nerve. J Physiol. 1952 Aug;117(4):500–544. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1952.sp004764. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Haydon D. A., Hendry B. M., Levinson S. R., Requena J. Anaesthesia by the n-alkanes. A comparative study of nerve impulse blockage and the properties of black lipid bilayer membranes. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1977 Oct 3;470(1):17–34. doi: 10.1016/0005-2736(77)90058-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hille B. Local anesthetics: hydrophilic and hydrophobic pathways for the drug-receptor reaction. J Gen Physiol. 1977 Apr;69(4):497–515. doi: 10.1085/jgp.69.4.497. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Oxford G. S., Wu C. H., Narahashi T. Removal of sodium channel inactivation in squid giant axons by n-bromoacetamide. J Gen Physiol. 1978 Mar;71(3):227–247. doi: 10.1085/jgp.71.3.227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schwarz W., Palade P. T., Hille B. Local anesthetics. Effect of pH on use-dependent block of sodium channels in frog muscle. Biophys J. 1977 Dec;20(3):343–368. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(77)85554-9. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Seeman P. The membrane actions of anesthetics and tranquilizers. Pharmacol Rev. 1972 Dec;24(4):583–655. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Shapiro B. I. Effects of strychnine on the sodium conductance of the frog node of Ranvier. J Gen Physiol. 1977 Jun;69(6):915–926. doi: 10.1085/jgp.69.6.915. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Wu C. H., Narahashi T. Mechanism of action of propranolol on squid axon membranes. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1973 Jan;184(1):155–162. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Yeh J. Z., Narahashi T. Kinetic analysis of pancuronium interaction with sodium channels in squid axon membranes. J Gen Physiol. 1977 Mar;69(3):293–323. doi: 10.1085/jgp.69.3.293. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Yeh J. Z. Sodium inactivation mechanism modulates QX-314 block of sodium channels in squid axons. Biophys J. 1978 Nov;24(2):569–574. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(78)85403-4. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biophysical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biophysical Society

RESOURCES