Abstract
COMPARISONS between experimentally recorded responses of cardiac muscle to applied currents1–3 and responses predicted by a modified form of the Hodgkin–Huxley nerve equations4 have led to conflicting conclusions about the applicability of these equations to the cardiac cell membrane2,4,5. The existence of a negative membrane conductance in the equations means that strong enough inward currents applied uniformly to the membrane during the plateau of the action potential should initiate an all-or-nothing repolarization response. Fig. 1 shows computed responses to uniform currents.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cranefield, P. F., and Hoffman, B. F., J. Gen. Physiol., 41, 633 (1958). Hoffman, B. F., and Cranefield, P. F., Electrophysiology of the Heart (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1960).
Johnson, E. A., and Tille, J., Austral. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci., 38, 509 (1960); Nature, 192, 663 (1961).
Weidmann, S., J. Physiol., 115, 227 (1951). Elekrophysiologie der Herzmuskelfaser (Hans Huber, Berne, 1956).
Noble, D., Nature, 188, 495 (1960); J. Physiol., 160, 317 (1962); Proc. Intern. Cong. Physiol. Sci., (Leyden), 1, 177 (1962).
Woodbury, J. W., Biophysics of Physiological and Pharmacological Actions, edit. by Shanes, 501 (1961); Handbook of Physiology, Sec. 2 Circ., 1, 237 (1962).
Noble, D., Biophysic. J., 2, 381 (1962). Noble, D., and Hall, A. E., ibid., 3, 261 (1963). Hall, A. E., and Noble, D., J. Physiol., 165, 18 P (1963).
Crank, J., and Nicolson, P., Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., 43, 50 (1947).
Modern Computing Methods, 116 (National Physical Laboratory, H.M.S.O., 1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
HALL, A., NOBLE, D. Transient Responses of Purkinje Fibres to Non-uniform Currents. Nature 199, 1294–1295 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/1991294a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1991294a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.