The Journal of General Physiology
Cell MicroControls
  Home | Help | Feedback | Subscriptions | Archive | Search | Table of Contents
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF, 1431K)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Services
Right arrow Email this article
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
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 del Castillo, J.
Right arrow Articles by Morales, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by del Castillo, J.
Right arrow Articles by Morales, T.
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 50, 603-629, Copyright © 1967 by The Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLE

The Electrical and Mechanical Activity of the Esophageal Cell of Ascaris lumbricoides

J. del Castillo 1 and T. Morales 1

1 From the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico

The esophagus of Ascaris is a syncytial muscle organ of tubular shape in which the myofibrils are arranged radially between the lumen and the external surface. A resting potential of almost 40 mv (cytoplasm negative) is maintained by the extracellular organic anions (volatile fatty acids) found in the perienteric fluid. Replacement of these anions by Cl- ions results in a large depolarization. The resting potential is also decreased when the external pH is lowered. The leading phase of the action potential with a positive overshoot of about 18 mv elicits contraction of the myofibrils, development of negative pressure within the lumen, and suction of liquid and food particles. The mechanical energy stored in the elastic components of the cell is released when the myofibrils relax, thus injecting the contents of the lumen into the intestine. A fast and synchronous relaxation is elicited by a regenerative membrane polarization, a negative spike with a peak value of up to 108 mv produced by an increase in the permeability of the membrane to K+ ions. Cells completely depolarized in "chloride" saline are still able to generate such large potassium spikes.

Submitted on March 15, 1966


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
 GeneticsHome page
R. J. Hobson, V. M. Hapiak, H. Xiao, K. L. Buehrer, P. R. Komuniecki, and R. W. Komuniecki
SER-7, a Caenorhabditis elegans 5-HT7-like Receptor, Is Essential for the 5-HT Stimulation of Pharyngeal Pumping and Egg Laying
Genetics, January 1, 2006; 172(1): 159 - 169.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
B. Shtonda and L. Avery
CCA-1, EGL-19 and EXP-2 currents shape action potentials in the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx
J. Exp. Biol., June 1, 2005; 208(11): 2177 - 2190.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 DevelopmentHome page
T. Hirose, Y. Nakano, Y. Nagamatsu, T. Misumi, H. Ohta, and Y. Ohshima
Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase EGL-4 controls body size and lifespan in C. elegans
Development, March 15, 2003; 130(6): 1089 - 1099.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurophysiol.Home page
C. J. Franks, D. Pemberton, I. Vinogradova, A. Cook, R. J. Walker, and L. Holden-Dye
Ionic Basis of the Resting Membrane Potential and Action Potential in the Pharyngeal Muscle of Caenorhabditis elegans
J Neurophysiol, February 1, 2002; 87(2): 954 - 961.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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