[Effect of omega-H-perfluorinated carbonic acids on the wet weight, membrane potential and contractility of isolated skeletal muscle]

Abstract

To investigate the effect of fluoralkanes on cellular functions, isolated frog muscles were exposed to octafluoro-pentanoic acid (OP) and hexadecafluoro-nonanoic acid (HN). 20 MM of OP induced a small depression of the contraction amplitude and a loss of wet weight of 10% which was similar to the osmotic effect of pentanoic acid or sucrose. The membrane resting potential was not changed up to 50 mM. HN was much more effective: 0,5 mM decreased the contraction amplitude in a few minutes and depolarized the membrane by 20 to 30 mV in 2 h. 10 mM HN induced a weight gain of 20% connected with a contracture. Since the caffeine contracture was also depressed by 1 mM it is assumed that HN interact with cellular membranes and alter their Ca-binding properties.