Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1966 May;184(1):120–130. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007906

Membrane potential and ion content in the smooth muscle of the guinea-pig's taenia coli at different external potassium concentrations

R Casteels, H Kuriyama
PMCID: PMC1357550  PMID: 5921533

Abstract

1. The relation between the membrane potential and the intracellular ion concentration of the taenia coli was studied in solutions with different external potassium concentrations.

2. Isotonic solution in which the sum of NaCl+KCl was constant did not produce swelling of the smooth muscle of taenia coli, even at high [K]o, and did not change the intracellular chloride concentration.

3. Addition of an equivalent amount (118 mM) of NaCl or KCl to Krebs solution produced the same loss of water.

4. Solutions in which the product [K][Cl] was kept constant decreased the internal chloride concentration so that the chloride equilibrium potential became temporarily positive and returned only after 2 hr to a negative value.

5. From these results and the finding that even in normal Krebs solution ECl was about 35 mV more positive than the membrane potential, it is concluded that the chloride ions are not passively distributed. The potassium equilibrium potential is the main factor in the generation of the membrane potential. The large discrepancy between the two can be explained by the non-passive chloride distribution and by the sodium permeability of the membrane. The maintenance of the normal cell volume in solutions with constant sum of NaCl+KCl is explained by the constant intracellular chloride concentration.

Full text

PDF
120

Selected References

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

  1. ADRIAN R. H. The effect of internal and external potassium concentration on the membrane potential of frog muscle. J Physiol. 1956 Sep 27;133(3):631–658. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005615. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BULBRING E. Membrane potentials of smooth muscle fibres of the taenia coli of the guinea-pig. J Physiol. 1954 Aug 27;125(2):302–315. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1954.sp005159. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BURNSTOCK G., STRAUB R. W. A method for studying the effects of ions and drugs on the resting and action potentials in smooth muscle with external electrodes. J Physiol. 1958 Jan 23;140(1):156–167. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp005924. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Boyle P. J., Conway E. J., Kane F., O'reilly H. L. Volume of interfibre spaces in frog muscle and the calculation of concentrations in the fibre water. J Physiol. 1941 Jun 30;99(4):401–414. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1941.sp003911. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Boyle P. J., Conway E. J. Potassium accumulation in muscle and associated changes. J Physiol. 1941 Aug 11;100(1):1–63. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1941.sp003922. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CASTEELS R., KURIYAMA H. MEMBRANE POTENTIAL AND IONIC CONTENT IN PREGNANT AND NON-PREGNANT RAT MYOMETRIUM. J Physiol. 1965 Mar;177:263–287. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007591. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. CREESE R. Measurement of cation fluxes in rat diaphragm. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 1954 Sep 27;142(909):497–513. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1954.0039. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Casteels R. Phénomènes osmotiques et répartitions des ions dans le muscle lisse du taenia coli du cobaye. J Physiol (Paris) 1965 Sep-Oct;57(5):581–581. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Casteels R. The action of ouabain on the smooth muscle cells of the guinea-pig's taenia coli. J Physiol. 1966 May;184(1):131–142. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007907. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. GIEBISCH G., KRAUPP O., PILLAT B., STORMANN H. Der Ersatz von extracellulärem Natriumchlorid durch Natriumsulfat bzw. Saccharose und seine Wirkung auf die isoliert durchströmte Saugetiermuskulatur. Pflugers Arch. 1957;265(3):220–236. doi: 10.1007/BF00595649. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. GOODFORD P. J., HERMANSEN K. Sodium and potassium movements in the unstriated muscle of the guinea-pig taenia coli. J Physiol. 1961 Oct;158:426–448. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1961.sp006778. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. GOODFORD P. J., ING H. R. The pharmacology of the ethanesulphonate anion. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1959 Sep;14:358–363. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1959.tb00257.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. GOODFORD P. J., LUELLMANN H. The uptake of ethanesulphonate-35S ions by muscular tissue. J Physiol. 1962 Apr;161:54–61. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1962.sp006872. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HODGKIN A. L., HOROWICZ P. The influence of potassium and chloride ions on the membrane potential of single muscle fibres. J Physiol. 1959 Oct;148:127–160. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1959.sp006278. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. HOLMAN M. E. Membrane potentials recorded with high-resistance micro-electrodes; and the effects of changes in ionic environment on the electrical and mechanical activity of the smooth muscle of the taenia coli of the guineapig. J Physiol. 1958 May 28;141(3):464–488. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp005989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. KURIYAMA H. The influence of potassium, sodium and chloride on the membrane potential of the smooth muscle of taenia coli. J Physiol. 1963 Apr;166:15–28. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1963.sp007088. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. PAGE E. Cat heart muscle in vitro. III. The extracellular space. J Gen Physiol. 1962 Nov;46:201–213. doi: 10.1085/jgp.46.2.201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES