Pflügers Archiv

, Volume 308, Issue 4, pp 291–314 | Cite as

Voltage controlled contractions and current voltage relations of crayfish muscle fibers in chloride-free solutions

  • J. Dudel
  • R. Rüdel
Article
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Summary

In single crayfish muscle fibers isometric force development was measured as function of the clamped membrane potential while extracellular chloride was substituted by various anions. In propionate and isethionate saline relaxation was remarkably slowed and its onset delayed while the rise of contraction was not much affected. At prolonged exposure to these solutions amplitude of contraction decreased and sometimes the mechanical threshold shifted to a less negative potential. In contrast, methylsulphate and nitrate saline had little effect on contraction, rise and fall of contraction being only somewhat accelerated in methylsulphate. The change in membrane conductance due to chloride replacement was studied by measuring current voltage relations. GABA was applied to determine the Cl− equilibrium potential under the various conditions. The findings suggest that in propionate saline the fibers lose chloride while propionate does not permeate the membrane. Also in methylsulphate intracellular chloride is lost, but permeating CH3OSO 3 − can replace Cl−. So does also nitrate, the permeability of the membrane to this ion being increased by GABA as it is to chloride. It seems that relaxation is connected to the flow of chloride and it is suggested that a high chloride conductance in the transverse tubular system is necessary for its repolarisation. Methylsulphate and nitrate can replace chloride for this function.

Key-Words

Muscle Contraction Chloride Substitution Excitation-Contraction Coupling Voltage Clamp 

Zusammenfassung

Die isometrische Kraftentwicklung einzelner Krebsmuskelfasern wurde mit der Methode der Spannungsklemme bestimmt, wobei das extracelluläre Chlorid durch verschiedene Anionen ersetzt war. Propionat und Isethionat verlangsamten und verzögerten die Relaxation, hatten dagegen wenig Einfluß auf den Beginn der Kontraktion. Nach längerer Verweildauer in diesen Badelösungen nahm die Kontraktionsamplitude ab und die mechanische Schwelle verschob sich manchmal in Richtung weniger negativen Potentials. Dagegen hatten Methylsulfat und Nitrat wenig Einfluß auf die Kontraktion, abgesehen von einer geringen Beschleunigung von Anstieg und Abfall der Kraftentwicklung in Methylsulfat. Zur Untersuchung von Änderungen der Membranleitfähigkeit beim Ersatz des extracellulären Chlorids wurden Strom-Spannungsbeziehungen aufgenommen. Mit Hilfe von GABA wurde das Cl−-Gleichgewichtspotential unter den jeweiligen Verhältnissen bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse lassen darauf schließen, daß in Propionat die Fasern Chlorid verlieren, Propionat die Membran aber nicht passieren kann. Auch in Methylsulfat verlieren die Fasern Chlorid, aber CH3OSO 3 − kann permeieren und Cl− ersetzen. Dies kann auch Nitrat mit dem Unterschied, daß GABA für dieses Ion sogar die Membranleitfähigkeit erhöhen kann wie für Chlorid. Die Ergebnisse zeigen einen Zusammenhang des Ausstroms von Chlorid mit der Relaxation. Wahrscheinlich ist eine hohe Chloridleitfähigkeit der Membran des transversalen tubulären Systems notwendig für seine Repolarisation. Methylsulfat und Nitrat können Chlorid für diese Funktion ersetzen.

Schlüsselwörter

Muskelkontraktion Chloridersatz Elektromechanische Koppelung Spannungsklemme 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1969

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. Dudel
    • 1
  • R. Rüdel
    • 1
  1. 1.II. Physiologisches Institut der Universität HeidelbergHeidelberg

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