Influence of changes in external potassium and chloride ions on membrane potential and intracellular potassium ion activity in rabbit ventricular muscle

1. The membrane responses of rabbit papillary muscles to rapid changes in [K]o and [Cl]o were measured with open-tipped micropipettes and with closed micropipettes made from K-selective glass. 2. The muscle cells behaved primarily as a K electrode, and responses to changes in [K]o with constant [Cl]o or with constant [K]o × [Cl]o were substantially the same. 3. When [Cl]o was changed at a constant [K]o the membrane potentials changed rapidly and symmetrically by a small value and remained constant for 30 min. 4. Measurement of potential with K+-selective micro-electrodes in these experiments showed no change in intracellular K activity. In addition to permitting calculation of K permeability, these measurements reassured us that the K+-selective electrodes were well insulated and not influenced by electrical shunts at the impalement site. 5. Although the membrane response to changes in [Cl]o was small, it was possible to calculate that the permeability ratio (PCl/PK), was 0·11. The Cl and K conductances were about 0·015 mmho/cm2 and 0·09 mmho/cm2 respectively, resulting in a conductance ratio (gCl/gK) of about 0·17. 6. The time course of depolarization by increase in [K]o was rapid (half-time 5 sec), but repolarization on return to lower [K]o was much slower (half-time 50 sec). The depolarization time course was easily fitted by the potential change calculated by assuming the need for K diffusion into the extracellular spaces and taking account of the logarithmic relation between membrane potential and [K]o. These calculations did not fit the time course of repolarization, which was slowed in the fashion expected from an inward-rectifying membrane. 7. The influence of [K]i on membrane potential was investigated by changes in tonicity of the external solution. Hypotonic solution produced a change in intracellular K activity close to that produced by ideal water movement. However, in hypertonic solution, intracellular K activity did not rise as much as predicted, suggesting a change in intracellular activity coefficient.