The admittance of the squid giant axon at radio frequencies and its relation to membrane structure. 1985

D A Haydon, and B W Urban

The admittance of the squid giant axon membrane has been measured, using an intracellular electrode, at frequencies up to 40 MHz. The existence of a radio frequency dispersion, previously detected with extracellular electrodes (Cole, 1976) and attributed to the Schwann cell layer, has been confirmed and followed to higher frequencies. For a comparable method of analysis, membrane parameters similar to those given by Cole (1976) have been calculated. The radio frequency dispersion has a centre frequency at approximately 1.8 MHz, and the properties of a parallel combination of a 28 nF cm-2 capacity and a 3.3 omega cm2 resistance. When the axon membrane capacity is calculated, taking into account the radio frequency dispersion, as described above, the capacity remains frequency dependent throughout the range studied. If it is assumed that at high frequencies the axolemma capacity becomes constant at approximately the value for a lipid bilayer, a radio frequency dispersion is found which cannot be accounted for in terms of a simple equivalent circuit with two passive components, but appears to arise from a network with a distribution of relaxation times. This result could be consistent with the morphology of the Schwann cell layer. The radio frequency dispersion referred to in (4) can be described reasonably well by a circuit with two dispersions having centre frequencies of 250 kHz and 3.2 MHz respectively. The corresponding axolemma capacity (100-500 kHz) would be approximately 0.6 microF cm-2. It is argued that between 50 and 100 kHz the geometrical capacity arising from the non-polar regions of the membrane is a major contributor to the axon membrane capacity, and that capacity variations arising from compositional changes in the lipid bilayer are best monitored in this frequency range.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011846 Radio Waves Electromagnetic waves with frequencies between about 3 kilohertz (very low frequency - VLF) and 300,000 megahertz (extremely high frequency - EHF). They are used in television and radio broadcasting, land and satellite communications systems, radionavigation, radiolocation, and DIATHERMY. The highest frequency radio waves are MICROWAVES. Hertzian Waves,High Frequency Waves,Radiowave,Radiowaves,Short Waves,Very High Frequency Waves,Frequency Wave, High,Frequency Waves, High,High Frequency Wave,Radio Wave,Short Wave,Wave, High Frequency,Wave, Radio,Wave, Short,Waves, Hertzian,Waves, High Frequency,Waves, Radio,Waves, Short
D002462 Cell Membrane The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D004553 Electric Conductivity The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS. Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D004594 Electrophysiology The study of the generation and behavior of electrical charges in living organisms particularly the nervous system and the effects of electricity on living organisms.
D000200 Action Potentials Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli. Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001369 Axons Nerve fibers that are capable of rapidly conducting impulses away from the neuron cell body. Axon
D049832 Decapodiformes A superorder of CEPHALOPODS comprised of squid, cuttlefish, and their relatives. Their distinguishing feature is the modification of their fourth pair of arms into tentacles, resulting in 10 limbs. Cuttlefish,Illex,Sepiidae,Squid,Todarodes,Cuttlefishs,Decapodiforme,Illices,Squids,Todarode
D066298 In Vitro Techniques Methods to study reactions or processes taking place in an artificial environment outside the living organism. In Vitro Test,In Vitro Testing,In Vitro Tests,In Vitro as Topic,In Vitro,In Vitro Technique,In Vitro Testings,Technique, In Vitro,Techniques, In Vitro,Test, In Vitro,Testing, In Vitro,Testings, In Vitro,Tests, In Vitro,Vitro Testing, In

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