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. 1964 Nov;4(6):451–463. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3495(64)86795-3

Effects of Replacement of External Sodium Chloride with Sucrose on Membrane Currents of the Squid Giant Axon

William J Adelman Jr, Robert E Taylor
PMCID: PMC1367598  PMID: 14232131

Abstract

It was observed that a reduction of the sodium chloride concentration in the external solution bathing a squid giant axon by replacement with sucrose resulted in marked decreases in the peak inward and steady-state outward currents through the axon membrane following a step decrease in membrane potential. These effects are quantitatively acounted for by the increase in series resistance resulting from the decreased conductivity of the sea water and the assumption that the sodium current obeys a relation of the form I = k1C1 - k2C2 where C1, C2 are internal and external ion activities and k1, k2 are independent of concentration. It is concluded that the potassium ion current is independent of the sodium concentration. That the inward current is carried by sodium ions has been confirmed. The electrical potential (or barrier height) profile in the membrane which drives sodium ions appears to be independent of sodium ion concentration or current. A specific effect of the sucrose on hyperpolarizing currents was observed and noted but not investigated in detail.

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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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