The Effects of Several Alcohols on the Properties of the Squid Giant Axon
The Journal of General PhysiologyPublished 1 November 1964Open access
Clay M. Armstrong, L. Binstock
Citations189
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.38
SNIP0.93
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TL;DR
The effects of several alcohols on the resting potential, action potential, and voltage-clamp currents of the squid giant axon have been measured and steady-state inactivation of the sodium ion current is unaffected by alcohols, as is membrane capacity.
Abstract
The effects of several alcohols on the resting potential, action potential, and voltage-clamp currents of the squid giant axon have been measured. All the alcohols employed are similar in that they depress maximum sodium conductance much more than maximum potassium conductance. Octyl alcohol differs from the others (C(2) through C(5)) in that it has less tendency to depolarize the axon. Depolarization is always accompanied by a decrease of g(K) near the resting potential, such that the ratio g(K)/g(leak) is decreased. Steady-state inactivation of the sodium ion current is unaffected by alcohols, as is membrane capacity. Resting membrane conductance is usually decreased by alcohols. The findings are discussed in relation to work on monomolecular films.
Keywords
NeuroscienceBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
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