Evidence for fixed charge in the nexus

The nexus or gap junction has been characterized as a low-resistance junction as well as a highly permeable junctional membrane to many molecules. The transfer of electrical current from one cell interior to another, the aqueous solubility of dyes used to trace cell to cell communication and the fact that these molecules move across the nexus more rapidly than the plasma membrane have led to the hypothesis of an aqueous channel in the junction. Both Ca2+ (ref.11) and H+ (ref. 12) are thought to alter nexal membrane conductance, and a voltage-sensitive gate has been demonstrated within the junction. Recently, Flagg-Newton et al. have concluded that mammalian junctions may contain fixed charge or be of smaller diameter than arthropod junctions. Here we have investigated these alternatives by examining the permeability of nexuses of septa of the median giant axon of Lumbricus terrestris with various derivatives of fluorescein. Both carboxyfluorescein and aminofluorescein were found to have depressed permeabilities relative to their predicted permeabilities based on molecular size and weight (MW). Flourescein diffusion was significantly suppressed in axons pre-injected with aminofluorescein but carboxyfluorescein had no such effect (Table 1). These data suggest the existence of fixed anionic charge within the nexal channel which may have affinity for amino groups.     

Approach to a quantitative differentiation between the respiratory effects evoked from the lung stretch and the lung deflation receptors during thoracic compression

Zusammenfassung Die beiden Annahmen, dass sich bei Thoraxkompression die Verminderung der Impulssequenz der Lungendehnungsrezeptoren analog zum Lungenentdehnungsreflex auswirke, und dass sich dessen inspiratorische Atmungseffekte zu jenen des Lungenkollapsreflexes addieren, erscheinen gerechtfertigt. Diese Annahmen ermöglichen eine quantitative Differenzierung zwischen dem respiratorischen Einfluss der Lungendehnungs-und Lungenkollapsrezeptoren bei Thoraxkompression. Damit können die auf die Erregung der Lungenkollapsrezeptoren zu beziehenden Atmungsveränderungen (f,I/E) erstmals isoliert und quantitativ dargestellt werden.

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Presented at the 2nd Meeting of the Swiss Physiological Society, Zürich, 8 November 1969.