Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of General Physiology logoLink to The Journal of General Physiology
. 1972 Feb 1;59(2):121–134. doi: 10.1085/jgp.59.2.121

The Ionic Requirements for the Initiation of Action Potentials in Insect Muscle Fibers

Hiroshi Washio 1
PMCID: PMC2203170  PMID: 5058471

Abstract

Electrical properties of locust leg muscle fibers were studied by means of intracellular electrodes. In most fibers, a depolarizing current pulse initiated a local response. A delayed decrease in membrane resistance appeared with more than about 10 mv depolarization. In some fibers a regenerative response also was found. Membrane constants were measured, applying the short cable model. The value of the space constant λ was 1.6 mm and the calculated value of Rm was about 1750 ohm cm2. Action potentials could be elicited when the bathing fluid contained more than 2–5 mM Ba or Sr. Similar responses were seen with 2 mM Ca in the presence of tetraethylammonium (TEA). The overshoot of these action potentials increased with increasing [Ca++]o, [Sr++]o, or [Ba++]o, the increment for a 10-fold increase being about 29 mv for Ca and Sr and between 40 and 50 mv for Ba. These action potentials were inhibited by Mn ions but were not affected by tetrodotoxin or procaine. In solutions containing Ba or Sr, action potentials generated were suppressed by addition of Ca. The removal of Na ions did not change the configuration of the action potential. The results suggest that an increase in permeability to Ca, Ba, or Sr ions makes a major contribution to the initiation of action potentials in this tissue.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (869.5 KB).

Selected References

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

  1. Beaulieu G., Frank G. B. Tetraethylammonium-induced contractions of frog's skeletal muscle. 3. Mechanism of action by calcium release. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1967 Sep;45(5):845–855. doi: 10.1139/y67-099. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. FATT P., GINSBORG B. L. The ionic requirements for the production of action potentials in crustacean muscle fibres. J Physiol. 1958 Aug 6;142(3):516–543. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp006034. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. FATT P., KATZ B. An analysis of the end-plate potential recorded with an intracellular electrode. J Physiol. 1951 Nov 28;115(3):320–370. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1951.sp004675. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FATT P., KATZ B. The electrical properties of crustacean muscle fibres. J Physiol. 1953 Apr 28;120(1-2):171–204. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1953.sp004884. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fein H. Passing current through recording glass micro-pipette electrodes. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 1966 Oct;13(4):211–212. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HAGIWARA S., CHICHIBU S., NAKA K. I. THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS IONS ON RESTING AND SPIKE POTENTIALS OF BARNACLE MUSCLE FIBERS. J Gen Physiol. 1964 Sep;48:163–179. doi: 10.1085/jgp.48.1.163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HAGIWARA S., NAKA K. I. THE INITIATION OF SPIKE POTENTIAL IN BARNACLE MUSCLE FIBERS UNDER LOW INTRACELLULAR CA++. J Gen Physiol. 1964 Sep;48:141–162. doi: 10.1085/jgp.48.1.141. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. 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]
  9. Hagiwara S., Hayashi H., Takahashi K. Calcium and potassium currents of the membrane of a barnacle muscle fibre in relation to the calcium spike. J Physiol. 1969 Nov;205(1):115–129. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008955. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hoyle G. An isolated insect ganglion-nerve-muscle preparation. J Exp Biol. 1966 Jun;44(3):413–427. doi: 10.1242/jeb.44.3.413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. NARAHASHI T., DEGUCHI T., URAKAWA N., OHKUBO Y. Stabilization and rectification of muscle fiber membrane by tetrodotoxin. Am J Physiol. 1960 May;198:934–938. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1960.198.5.934. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Ozeki M., Freeman A. R., Grundfest H. The membrane components of crustacean neuromuscular systems. I. Immunity of different electrogenic components to tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin. J Gen Physiol. 1966 Jul;49(6):1319–1334. doi: 10.1085/jgp.0491319. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. SHANES A. M., FREYGANG W. H., GRUNDFEST H., AMATNIEK E. Anesthetic and calcium action in the voltage-clamped squid giant axon. J Gen Physiol. 1959 Mar 20;42(4):793–802. doi: 10.1085/jgp.42.4.793. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Stefani E., Steinbach A. B. Resting potential and electrical properties of frog slow muscle fibres. Effect of different external solutions. J Physiol. 1969 Aug;203(2):383–401. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008869. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. TAYLOR R. E. Effect of procaine on electrical properties of squid axon membrane. Am J Physiol. 1959 May;196(5):1071–1078. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1959.196.5.1071. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. USHERWOOD P. N. The action of the alkaloid ryanodine on insect skeletal muscle. Comp Biochem Physiol. 1962 Jul;6:181–199. doi: 10.1016/0010-406x(62)90077-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. WEIDMANN S. The electrical constants of Purkinje fibres. J Physiol. 1952 Nov;118(3):348–360. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1952.sp004799. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. WERMAN R., McCANN F. V., GRUNDFEST H. Graded and all-or-none electrogenesis in arthropod muscle. I. The effects of alkali-earth cations on the neuromuscular system of Romalea microptera. J Gen Physiol. 1961 May;44:979–995. doi: 10.1085/jgp.44.5.979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of General Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES