Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Action potential properties are gravity dependent

  • Published:
Microgravity - Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The functional properties of neuronal tissue critically depend on cellular composition and intercellular comunication. A basic principle of such communication found in various types of neurons is the generation of action potentials (APs). These APs depend on the presence of voltage gated ion channels and propagate along cellular processes (e.g. axons) towards target neurons or other cells. It has already been shown that the properties of ion channels depend on gravity. To discover whether the properties of APs also depend on gravity, we examined the propagation of APs in earthworms (invertebrates) and isolated nerve fibres (i.e. bundles of axons) from earthworms under conditions of micro- and macro-gravity. In a second set of experiments we could verify our results on rat axons (vertebrates). Our experiments carried out during two parabolic flight campaigns revealed that microgravity slows AP propagation velocity and macrogravity accelerates the transmission of action potentials. The relevance for live-science related questions is considerable, taking into account that altered gravity conditions might affect AP velocity in man during space flight missions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Classen, D.E. andSponsor, B.S.: Effects of gravity on liposome-reconstituted cardiac gap junction channelling activity. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com., 161 (1), 358–362 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes de Lima, V. M., Goldermann, M. andHanke, W.: The retinal spreading depression. Shaker Verlag, Aachen, Germany, (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujieda, S. Mogami, Y. Baba, S. A., Shibata, F. andArasato, T. (1995). Effect of micro gravity on the spatial oscillation behaviour of Belousov-Zhabotinskii reactions catalysed by ferroin. Space Utilization Res., 12, 207–210 (1997).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujieda, S., Mogami, Y., Moriyasu, K. andMori, Y.: Nonequilibrium / nonlinear chemical oscillation in the virtual absence of gravity. Adv Space Res., 23 (12), 2057–2063 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graille, C., Shlyck, G., Buser, P., Kozlovskaia, I. andRouguel-Buser, A.: Inflight electroretinograms compared to ground controls in behaving monkeys: differences in attentional states? Brain. Res. Rev., 28, 52–60 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grundel, A., Drescher, J., Spatenko, Y.A. andPolyakov, V.V.: Heart period and heart-period variability during sleep on the MIR space station. J. Sleep Res., 8, 37–43 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanke, W., Goldermann, M., Brand, S. andFernandes de Lima, V.M. The retinal spreading depression: A Model for non-linear behaviour of the brain. In: A perspective look at nonlinear media — from physics to biology and social sciences. Paresi et al., eds, Springer, Berlin, Germany, pp. 227–243 (1998).

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hanke, W., Wiedemann, M. andFernandes de Lima, V. M.: Control of excitability of neuronal tissue by weak external forces. Faraday Discuss., 120, 237–248 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meissner, K. andHanke, W.: Patch clamp experiments under microgravity. J. of Gravitational Physiol., 9 (1), 377–378 (2002). Meissner, K., Schwertner, J. and Hanke, W.: Hoch hinaus. Biologie in unserer Zeit, 6, 390–395 (2003).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rüegg, D.G., Kakebeeke, T.H. andStuder, L.M.: Einfluß der Schwerkraft auf die Fortleitungsgeschwindigkeit von Muskel-Aktionspotentialen. In: Bilanzsymposium Forschung unter Weltraumbedingungen. Kelle, H. and Sahm, P.R., eds., WPF, Aachen, Germany, pp. 752–759 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiedemann, M., Fernandes de Lima, V.M. andHanke, W.: Gravity dependence of waves in the retinal spreading depression and in gel-type Belousov-Zhabotinsky systems. PCCP, 4, 1370–1373 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiedemann, M., Rahmann, H. and Hanke, W.: Gravitational impact on ion channels incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. In: Planar lipid bilyers and their aplications. TiTien and Ottova, eds., Elesevier Sciences. pp., 669–698 (2003).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut for Physiology (230), University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 30, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Klaus Meissner

Authors
  1. Klaus Meissner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wolfgang Hanke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Klaus Meissner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meissner, K., Hanke, W. Action potential properties are gravity dependent. Microgravity Sci. Technol 17, 38–43 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02870977

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02870977

Keywords

Search

Navigation