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Active ion transport by a sensory epithelium

I. Transepithelial short circuit current, potential difference, and their dependence on metabolism

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Summary

Across the sensory epithelium of isolated cockroach antennae, perfused and superfused with identical physiological solutions, a transepithelial voltage (TEP) of about 15 mV (outside positive) has been recorded. It corresponds to somewhat higher transepithelial voltages localized at the sites of sensilla.

Related to this voltage is a transepithelial short circuit current (SCC), which lasts for the hours of survival of the preparation. Density of SCC is near 2.1 μA/cm2 at the outer surface of the integument.

TEP and SCC are reversibly reduced by anoxia and by poisons blocking the formation of ATP (Fig. 4–7).

We conclude that an active ion transport located within certain cells of the receptor units is the source of the electrical phenomena observed. Comparative morphological and physiological reasons suggest the electrogenic potassium outward transport to be the special mechanism involved.

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Abbreviations

SCC :

transepithelial short circuit current

TEP :

transepithelial potential difference

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Neurophysiologie, Zoologisches Institut der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität, Hüfferstrasse 1, D-4400, Münster, Federal Republic of Germany

    Josef Küppers & Ulrich Thurm

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  1. Josef Küppers
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  2. Ulrich Thurm
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Additional information

Measurements done at the Institut für Allgemeine Zoologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, partly supported by grants of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Schwerpunktprogramm “Rezeptorphysiologie”

We are indebted to Dr. D. Schäfer and Mrs. A. Seiffert for taking the scanning electron micrographs, to Prof. E. Frömter for critical reading of the manuscript, and to Mrs. E. Brüning for technical assistance.

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Küppers, J., Thurm, U. Active ion transport by a sensory epithelium. J. Comp. Physiol. 134, 131–136 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00610471

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