The Journal of General Physiology
Avanti Polar Lipids, Inc.
  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 867K)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new content in the JGP
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Blinks, L. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Blinks, L. R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?
The Journal of General Physiology, Vol 13, 495-508, Copyright © 1930 by The Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLE

THE DIRECT CURRENT RESISTANCE OF NITELLA

L. R. Blinks 1

1 From the Laboratories of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research

The electrical resistance of Nitella cells to direct current is determined in a Wheatstone bridge, using a vacuum-tube detector, and string galvanometer. Very small currents are passed through the cells, to avoid stimulation. The galvanometer record shows typical transient effects in the living cells at opening and closing of the circuit, due to the development of back E.M.F.

With 1 cm. contacts of tap water, and 1 cm. between contacts the resistances of living cells are usually between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 ohms. They go as high as 3,500,000 ohms when the cells are in the best condition. The resistance falls to about 50,000 ohms immediately after killing.

Leakage around the cell is small because the wall is imbibed with tap water. By measuring the resistance of the isolated wall (air-filled), and by varying the areas of contact with intact cells, the effective protoplasmic resistance is calculated. This varies from 100,000 to 700,000 ohms per square centimeter of surface, with a typical value of about 250,000 ohms per square centimeter.

This high resistance represents a low permeability for most ions, since the values are nearly as high with contacts of 0.01 M NaCl, CaCl2, LiCl, NH4Cl, and MgSO4. The resistances are greatly reduced however by solutions of KCl, which is correlated with a high mobility of the K+ ion in the protoplasm.

Electrical stimulation causes a marked reduction of resistance, which may be due to exomosis of KCl.

 Accepted on January 24, 1930


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
E. Masi, M. Ciszak, G. Stefano, L. Renna, E. Azzarello, C. Pandolfi, S. Mugnai, F. Baluska, F. T. Arecchi, and S. Mancuso
Spatiotemporal dynamics of the electrical network activity in the root apex
PNAS, March 10, 2009; 106(10): 4048 - 4053.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant BiolHome page
K. S. Cole
PERMEABILITY AND IMPERMEABILITY OF CELL MEMBRANES FOR IONS
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1940; 8(0): 110 - 122.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck SurgHome page
C. C. BUHRMESTER and W. F. WENNER
PRESENCE OF A HISTAMINE-LIKE SUBSTANCE IN NASAL MUCOSA, NASAL POLYPI AND NASAL SECRETION
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, November 1, 1936; 24(5): 570 - 581.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant BiolHome page
K. S. Cole and H. J. Curtis
ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF NERVE AND MUSCLE
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol, January 1, 1936; 4(0): 73 - 89.
[Abstract] [PDF]


  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents