ON THE MAGNETIC ASYMMETRY OF MUSCLE FIBERS

Abstract

Nerve and tendon taken from the rabbit show asymmetric magnetic properties; the fiber is more diamagnetic normal to its long axis than parallel to it. Glycerol-treated muscle preparations, as well as air-dried and freeze-dried muscle fibers, show strong magnetic anisotropy. When muscle tissue is allowed to dry slowly, it becomes less diamagnetic as drying proceeds and eventually may become paramagnetic. During drying, the magnetic anisotropy remains indicating that at a certain stage in the process the muscle fiber is paramagnetic in the direction of the fiber axis and diamagnetic normal to that axis. In a sample of fresh beef liver, no magnetic anisotropy could be detected.