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Extracellular Potassium Activity and Axon Excitability

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Ion-Selective Microelectrodes and Their Use in Excitable Tissues

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Abstract

During repetitive action potential discharge, levels of extracellular K+, [K+]e, have been observed to increase. In experiments on squid nerves, Frankenhaeuser and Hodgkin (1956) showed that following nerve impulses K+ accumulates in the periaxonal space between the axon and the surrounding Schwann cell. This was manifest as a progressive reduction in the undershoot of the action potential, which reflects a depolarizing shift of the potassium equilibrium potential.

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References

  • Adelman, W.J., and FitzHugh, R., 1975, Solutions of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations modified for potassium accumulation in a periaxonal space, Fed. Pro., 34:1322.

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  • Frankenhaeuser, B., and Hodgkin, A.L., 1956, The after-effects of impulses in the giant fibers of Loligo, J. Physiol. (Lond.), 131:341.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA

    Dean O. Smith

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  1. Dean O. Smith
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechslovakia

    Eva Syková , Pavel Hník  & Ladislav Vyklický ,  & 

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© 1981 Plenum Press, New York

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Smith, D.O. (1981). Extracellular Potassium Activity and Axon Excitability. In: Syková, E., Hník, P., Vyklický, L. (eds) Ion-Selective Microelectrodes and Their Use in Excitable Tissues. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9224-2_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9224-2_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-9226-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-9224-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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