Summary
When myotonia is induced in rat diaphragms either by addition of 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetate to the solution in which the excised muscle is bathed or by feeding animals on 20,25-diazocholesterol, the most significant change in membrane properties of the myotonic muscle fibres is an increase of the specific membrane resistance by a factor of 2 to 2.5. Membrane resting potential and capacitance are not altered. Like in healthy muscle, in 20,25-induced myotonic muscle the fibre membrane does not show rectifier properties ± 12 mV around the resting potential. The threshold for eliciting an action potential is unchanged but it is easier to start a burst of action potentials with a suprathreshold stimulus.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyd, I. A., Martin, A. R.: Membrane constants of mammalian muscle fibres. J. Physiol. (Lond.)147, 450–457 (1959).
Brown, G. L., Harvey, W. H.: Congenital myotonia in the goat. Brain62, 341–363 (1939).
Bryant, S. H.: Cable properties of external intercostal muscle fibres from myotonic and nonmyotonic goats. J. Physiol. (Lond.)204, 539–550 (1969).
—, Lipicky, R. J., Herzog, W. H.: Variability of myotonic signs in myotonic goats. Amer. J. vet. Res.29, 2371–2381 (1968).
Bucher, N. L. R.: Effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on experimental animals. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N. Y.)63, 204 (1946).
Burns, T. W., Dale, H. E., Langley, P. L.: Normal and myotonic goats receiving diazacholesterol. Amer. J. Physiol.209, 1227–1232 (1965).
Castillo del, J., Machne, X.: Effect of temperature on the passive electrical properties of the muscle fibre membrane. J. Physiol. (Lond.)120, 431–434 (1953).
Denny-Brown, D., Nevin, S.: The phenomenon of myotonia. Brain64, 1 (1941).
Eyzaguirre, C., Folk, B. P., Zierler, K. L., Lilienthal, J. L., Jr.: Experimental myotonia and repetitive phenomena: the veratrinic effects of 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetate (2,4-D) in the rat. Amer. J. Physiol.155, 69–77 (1948).
Falk, G., Landa, G. F.: Prolonged response of skeletal muscle in the absence of penetrating anions. Amer. J. Physiol.198, 289–299 (1960).
Forssmann, W. G., Siegrist, S., Orci, L., Girardier, L., Pictet, R., Rouiller, C.: Fixation par perfusion pour la microscopie électronique essai de généralisation. J. Microscopie6, 279–304 (1967).
Goodgold, J., Eberstein, A.: An electromyographic study of induced myotonia in rats. Exp. Neurol.21, 159–166 (1968).
Hodgkin, A. L., Rushton, W. A. H.: The electrical constants of a crustacean nerve fibre. Proc. roy. Soc. B133, 444–479 (1946).
Hofmann, W. W., Alston, W., Rowe, G.: A study of individual neuromuscular junctions in myotonia. Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.21, 521–537 (1966).
Hutter, O. F., Noble, D.: The chloride conductance of frog skeletal muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)151, 89–102 (1960).
—, Padsha, S. M.: Effect of nitrate and other anions on the membrane resistance of frog skeletal muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)146, 117–132 (1959).
Kao, C. Y., Stanfield, P. R.: Actions of some anions on electrical properties and mechanical threshold of frog twitch muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)198, 291–309 (1968).
Kern, R., Blumhoff, J., Kuhn, E.: Ruhe- und Aktionspotential am Rattenzwerchfell bei experimenteller Myotonie nach 20,25-Diazacholesterin. Z. exp. Med.153, 265–268 (1970).
Kiyohara, T., Sato, M.: Membrane constants of red and white muscle fibers in the rat. Jap. J. Physiol.17, 720–725 (1967).
Kuhn, E., Dorow, W., Kahlke, W., Pfisterer, H.: Myotonie nach 20,25-Diazacholesterin bei der Ratte. — Elektromyographie, Mechanokardiographie, Fettsäureanalysen der Phosphatide des Skeletmusckels. Klin. Wschr.46, 1043–1045 (1968).
Kuhn, E., Stein, W.: Modellmyotonie nach 2,4-Dichlorphenoxyacetat (2,4-D) bei der Ratte. In vitro- und in vivo-Untersuchungen von 2,4-D auf den Energiestoffwechsel des Muskels. Klin. Wschr.43, 673 (1965).
Landau, W. M.: The essential mechanism in myotonia. An electromyographic study. Neurology (Minneap.)2, 369–388 (1952).
Lipicky, R. J., Bryant, S. H.: Sodium, potassium and chloride fluxes in intercostal muscle from normal goats and goats with hereditary myotonia. J. gen. Physiol.50, 89–111 (1966).
——, Salmon, J. H.: Cable parameters, sodium, potassium, chloride and water content, and potassium efflux in isolated external intercostal muscle of normal volunteers and patients with myotonia congenita. J. clin. Investigation50, 2091–2103 (1971).
Norris, F. H., Jr.: Unstable membrane potential in human myotonic muscle. Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.14, 197–201 (1962).
Riecker, G., Dobbelstein, H., Röhl, D., Bolte, H. D.: Messungen des Membranpotentials einzelner quergestreifter Musckelzellen bei Myotonia congenita (Thomsen). Klin. Wschr.42, 519–522 (1964).
Ritchie, J. M.: The effect of nitrate on the active state of muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)126, 155–168 (1954).
Rüdel, R., Senges, J.: Membrane properties of myotonic muscle fibres. Excerpta Medica Int. Congress Series237, 68 (1971).
Senges, J., Rüdel, R.: Experimental myotonia in mammalian skeletal muscle. Changes in contractile properties. Pflügers Arch.331, 315–323 (1972).
Stein, W., Kuhn, E.: Modellmyotonie nach 2,4-Dichlorphenoxyacetat (2,4-D). Isoliertes Rattenzwerchfell als einfaches Untersuchungsobjekt. Klin. Wschr.46, 328–330 (1968).
Szaimi, T., Tomita, T.: Electrical properties of the frog skeletal muscle in Cl-free sulphate-, ferrocyanide-, and glutamate-Ringer's solution. Jap. J. Physiol.13, 641–656 (1963).
Winer, N., Klachko, D. M., Baer, R. D., Langley, R. L., Burns, T. W.: Myotonic response induced by inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis. Science153, 312–313 (1966).
Zolovick, A. J., Norman, R. L., Fedde, M. R.: Membrane constants of muscle fibers of rat diaphragm. Amer. J. Physiol.219, 654–657 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rüdel, R., Senges, J. Experimental myotonia in mammalian skeletal muscle: changes in membrane properties. Pflugers Arch. 331, 324–334 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00592693
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00592693