Abstract
ALTHOUGH there is evidence that axonal membrane potentials are related to sodium and potassium movements1, there has been little explicit discussion of how these ion movements may be initiated, or of the chemical processes which may permit them to occur2. Because it is not possible to identify the molecules involved by measuring potentials and associated ion movements, there is a need for experiments in which the membrane is modified in a known manner and the effects on potentials and ion movements then studied. The molecular dissection of the axonal membrane by internally applied enzymes3 has shown that most proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsins and papain) block the action potential and induce a considerable increase in sodium and potassium permeabilities4–7.
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ROJAS, E., ATWATER, I. Blocking of Potassium Currents by Pronase in Perfused Giant Axons. Nature 215, 850–852 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/215850a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/215850a0
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