Bioelektrische Aktivität und Sauerstoff-Verbrauch isolierter Potentialbildner bei Sauerstoffdrucken zwischen 0 und 10 Atm

Summary

1. Relations of oxygen pressure (between 0 and 10 atm.) to simultaneously measured heights of b-wave and oxygen consumption have been studied in the isolated amphibian eye.

2. It was intended to ascertain, if there is—within the cell—a mechanism enabling it to hold its own O₂ consumption and its biological function on a constant level regardless of changes in surrounding O₂ pressure.

3. It was found that, within the range of oxygen deficiency, bioelectric activity and O₂ consumption of isolated cells change proportionally to O₂ pressure.

4. High oxygen pressure damps the bioelectric activity but has no hindering effect on O₂ consumption. Therefore dissociation of bioelectric activity and O₂ uptake arises, which means a lowering of efficiency.

5. There is no experimental evidence of a mechanism within the single cell for smoothing out the effects of O₂ pressure changes. On the whole, the isolated cell reacts in view of O₂ consumption and bioelectric activity like a pure physicochemical system. Therefore it seems to be reasonable to describe the cell-behaviour towards oxygen by means of the law of mass action or even by flux equations as Thunberg and Lund have tried many years ago.

6. In the whole animal the regulatable blood flow screens the individual cells from outside changes of oxygen pressure within wide limits.