Ionic Relations of Cells of Chara Australis VIII. Membrane Currents During a Voltage Clamp

Abstract

Experiments are described in which "voltage clamps" were applied to the "membrane" of O. australis cells comprising tonoplast and plasmalemma and also to the plasmalemma alone. The voltage-clamp system maintained the membrane potential at a predetermined level, and enabled a detailed analysis to be made of the transient electrical phenomena occurring during the action potential. A scarming technique is also described, by means of which the membrane currentpotential characteristics could be determined at any particular time during the transient activity of the membrane.