Resting and Action Potentials of Reversed Polarity in Frog Nerve Cells

Abstract

THE present communication deals with the resting and action potentials of the nerve cell body of the frog dorsal root ganglion immersed in barium-rich media. Dorsal root ganglia were removed from the ventral side of the vertebræ of a Rana pipiens together with nerves 5–10 mm. long on both sides. The preparation was immersed in a sodium free solution containing 80 mM barium chloride, 2 mM potassium bicarbonate and 1.5 mM calcium chloride. On penetration of the nerve cells with a hyperfine glass-pipette electrode filled with 3 M potassium chloride, it was sometimes found that the potential of the microelectrode suddenly rose by 20–40 mV. without being accompanied by any appreciable rise in the electrode resistance. There were also many cells which showed a resting potential (40–70 mV.) of the ordinary (that is, negative) sign.