MEMBRANE AND PROTOPLASM RESISTANCE IN THE SQUID GIANT AXON
The direct current longitudinal resistance of the squid giant axon was measured as a function of the electrode separation. Large sea water electrodes were used and the inter-electrode length was immersed in oil. The slope of the resistance vs. separation curve is large for a small electrode separat...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Online |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Rockefeller University Press
1939
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| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2142005/ |
| Summary: | The direct current longitudinal resistance of the squid giant axon was measured as a function of the electrode separation. Large sea water electrodes were used and the inter-electrode length was immersed in oil. The slope of the resistance vs. separation curve is large for a small electrode separation, but becomes smaller and finally constant as the separation is increased. An analysis of the resistance vs. length curves gives the following results. The nerve membrane has a resistance of about 1000 ohm cm.2 The protoplasm has a specific resistance of about 1.4 times that of sea water. The resistance of the connective tissue sheath outside the fiber corresponds to a layer of sea water about 20ยต in thickness. The characteristic length for the axon is about 2.3 mm. in oil and 6.0 mm. in sea water. |
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