RESEARCH ON THE GENESIS OF ACTION POTENTIAL IN EXCITABLE TISSUES,
Abstract
This Report dealt with a bicphysical formalism applicable to various phenomena of excitability as exposed by living tissues like the nerve axons etc. A quantitative excitability analog was presented in terms of voltage (E), current (I), and a P-factor, located in a membrane containing fixed ionic groups. A physical realisation of this formalism has been achieved in membrane experiments where electro-endosmosis plays an essential part (i.r. the membrane oscillator). In such systems the P-factor is identified as a hydrostatic pressure gradient, which is voltage dependent. However, in other systems the P factor may be equivalent to any other variable that is correspondingly dependent on the electri cal variables E and/or I. A convenient illustra tion of various excitability phenomena like triggering, spike oscillations, voltage-current characteristics, voltage clamp etc. is possible in a three-dimensional modh the system variables E, I and P as coordinate axes. The introduction of the third system variable P, introduces negative electrical resistance in this excitability analog (i.e. the electrohydraulic nerve analog), which allows a rational inter pretation of various instability phenomena, in cluding ''mechano- electrical transduction. Ex amples was presented with references to corres ponding physiological observations on nerves and other excitable objects, in particular Nitella cells. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 28, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0414084
Entities
People
- Torsten Teorell
Organizations
- Uppsala University