THE INFLUENCE OF ELECTROLYTES ON RESPIRATION IN NERVE

Abstract

The action of several common ions, studied by modified Warburg manometers, was closely related to effect on the colloidal structure of nerve. In absence of Na respiration was decreased 10-40%; excess K had a depressant action. Absence of K had no effect. Ca was especially important, small increases or decreases having a marked inverse influence on nerve resp. and irritability. Mg, but not Ba, could substitute for Ca in nerve; neither could replace it in grey matter. All the decalcifying Na salts increased nerve resp., the increase roughly paralleling decalcifying power, from 25% with tartrate and fluoride to about 100% with oxalate and citrate. Al depressed nerve resp. and had a strong coagulating effect. Most monovalent anions had little or no influence. Isotonic sugar soln. depressed nerve resp. to 50%. Addition of NaCl restored it to normal, while KCl or CaCl2 further depresses. No antagonism between Na and Ca or K and Ca on respiration was shown, but cations and anions antagonized.