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. 1971 Dec;219(2):367–383. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009667

Chloride conductance in normal and myotonic muscle fibres and the action of monocarboxylic aromatic acids

S H Bryant, A Morales-Aguilera
PMCID: PMC1331636  PMID: 5316641

Abstract

1. Cable parameters, component conductances, excitability and membrane potentials in isolated external intercostal fibre bundles at 38° C from normal and myotonic goats were measured in normal and low-chloride Ringer, and in the presence of monocarboxylic aromatic acids that produce myotonic responses in mammalian muscle.

2. The mean resting chloride conductance in μmho/cm2 of myotonic fibres (range 0-147) was significantly less than that of normal fibres (range 376-951). The mean resting potassium conductance was higher in myotonic fibres (range 123-285) than in normal fibres (range 44-132). Potassium conductance increased about 10 μmho/cm2 per mV increase in absolute resting potential.

3. In normal fibres in normal Ringer 3-chloro-2,5,6-trimethylbenzoic acid; 5,6-dihydro-5,5-dimethyl-7-carboxybenz[c]acridine; phenanthrene-9-carboxylic acid; and anthracene-9-carboxylic acid at 10-5-10-4 M decreased membrane conductance without consistently changing diameter or capacitance. In low-chloride Ringer 3-chloro-2,5,6-trimethylbenzoic acid (5 × 10-5 M) increased potassium conductance in myotonic and normal fibres. It is concluded that these compounds block chloride conductance.

4. The carboxylic acids produced myotonia in normal fibres similar to that in untreated myotonic fibres.

5. Anthracene-9-carboxylic acid intravenously (8 mg/kg) in normal goats produced acutely a condition resembling myotonia congenita. The carboxylic acids produced no myotonic effects in frog muscle.

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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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