Abstract
Excitable membranes can be induced to show an increase in conductivity such as that encountered in the “action potential.” We suggest that this transient condition may be the result of heating of the sites through which the ions pass. The heat could be generated by an adiabatic phase transition of the membrane lipids. Equations derived on the basis of these ideas give good agreement with voltage clamped current measurements in algae and perfused squid axon.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
B. C. Abbot, A. V. Hill and J. V. Howarth,Proc. R. Soc. B.,148 (1958) 149.
Lehoczki, Hevesi, and Balint,Z. Prikl. Spekt.,16 (1972) 97.
K. D. Straub,J. Theor. Biol.,44 (1974) 191.
B. C. Abbot and J. V. Howarth,Physiol. Rev.,53 (1973) 120.
D. Chapman, in theProceedings of the International Summer School on the Physics of Biological Membranes. (To be published).
H. Trauble,Naturwissenschaften,58 (1971) 277.
B. B. Hamel and I. Zimmerman,Biophys. J.,10 (1970) 1029.
V. Speth and F. Wunderlich,Biochem. Biophys. Acta.,291 (1973) 621.
H. L. Scott,J. Theor. Biol.,45 (1974) 241.
Nagle,Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA,70 (1973) 3443.
K. S. Cole,Membranes Ions and Impulses, (University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1968), p. 184.
B. D. Ladbrooke, R. M. Williams and D. Chapman,Biochem. Biophys. Acta.,150 (1968) 640.
J. M. Steim,Proc. N.A.S.,63 (1969) 104.
J. Hogg, R. M. Williams and R. J. Johnston,Biochem. Biophys. Acta.,150 (1968) 333.
C. T. Gaffey and L. J. Mullins,J. Physiol.,144 (1958) 505.
T. H. Strunk,Science,163 (1970) 84.
J. Dainty, R. J. Lannoye and S. E. Tarr,J. Exptl. Bot.,21 (1970) 558.
W. J. Adelman, inBiophysics and Physiology of Excitable Membrane. W. J. Adelman, editor. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1971), p. 312.
M. E. Fine,Introduction to Phase Transformations in Condensed Systems, (The MacMillan Co., New York, 1964).
D. E. Goldman, inBiophysics and Physiology of Excitable Membrane. W. J. Adelman, editor. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1971), p. 346.
A. L. Hodgkin and A. F. Huxley,J. Physiol.,117 (1952) 500.
T. Narahashi, inBiophysics and Physiology of Excitable Membrane. W. J. Adelman, editor. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1971), p. 436.
R. Guttman, inBiophysics and Physiology of Excitable Membrane. W. J. Adelman, editor. (Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1971), p. 320.
D. Landowne,Nature,242 (1973) 457, see also p. 431.
R. A. Arndt and L. D. Roper,Bull. Math. Biophys.,34 (1972) 305.
T. C. Ward and J. D. Bond,Biophys. J.,11 (1971) 465.
S. P. Almeida, J. D. Bond and T. C. Ward,Biophys. J.,11 (1971) 995.
L. Y. Wei,Biophys. J.,12 (1972) 1159.
D. E. Goldman,Biophys. J.,4 (1964) 167.
D. L. Gilbert and G. Ehrenstein,Biophys. J.,9 (1969) 447.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Work supported by a grant from the National Research Council of Canada.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hawton, M.H., Keeler, W.J. Adiabatic heating and membrane excitation. J Biol Phys 3, 130–141 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02308896
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02308896