Abstract
The concentration of isethionate (2-hydroxyethanesulfonate) in the squid giant axon is about 150 mM1–3; taurine (2-aminoethanesul-fonate) has been reported as about 75 mM, and according to our own measurements may be higher. Thus this single giant cell is 0.2 to 0.3 molar in these two seemingly closely related organosulfur compounds. While taurine is widely distributed, isethionate appears to be limited to cephalopod nerve. Other organs of cephalopods, and organs of other animals, including even the giant axon of the annelid Myxicola contain little or no isethionate3–5. Although we had reported a few micromoles isethionate per gram fresh tissue in other organs and species, that was near the limit of our method of analysis3; the GLC assay since developed and applied to this question seems to confirm the sharp limitation to cephalopod nerve6.
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Hoskin, F.C.G., Noonan, P.K. (1980). Taurine and Isethionate in Squid Nerve. In: Cavallini, D., Gaull, G.E., Zappia, V. (eds) Natural Sulfur Compounds. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3045-5_22
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3045-5_22
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