Some relations between changes in the linear electrical properties of striated muscle fibers and changes in ultrastructure

Abstract

Some of the linear electrical properties of frog sartorius muscle have been investigated in Ringer's fluid and in a Ringer fluid made hypertonic by the addition of sucrose or NaCl. Electrical constants were determined from measurements of the phase angle of the admittance of a fiber for an applied alternating current, from measurements of the voltage induced by an inward pulse of current, and from measurements of the conduction velocity of the action potential and the time constant of its foot. The dilation of the transverse tubular system induced by the sucrose hypertonic Ringer fluid was correlated with the change in the electrical constants. From this it is concluded that a two time constant equivalent circuit for the membrane, as proposed by Falk and Fatt, is in good agreement with our results. Both the area of the membrane of the transverse tubular system, and the capacity (c(e)) attributed to it, increased in the sucrose hypertonic Ringer fluid. The resistance r(e), which is in series with c(e), did not fall when the transverse tubular system was dilated and probably is not located in that system.