SUMARY1. Slow waves recorded from isolated longitudinal muscle averaged 13 mV and had slow rate of rise (0.04 V/sec) whereas when recorded from intact segments the amplitude averaged 27 mV and the rate of rise was more rapid (0.09 V/sec), often with a notch between the initial peak and the plateau. Membrane potentials of longitudinal muscle were similar in isolated and intact preparations (-66 mV

When stomach muscles of skate, toad, or frog or intestinal muscle of cat are treated with Ca-free physiological solutions containing 2-5 mM EGTA or EDTA, spontaneous spikes and slow waves disappear reversibly. With continued treatment, depolarization of 25-30 mV from resting potentials of -65 mV occurs and rhythmic prolonged potentials of several seconds duration appear. They show rapid depolarization to near zero and rapid repolarization and they may continue for several hours. The prolonged potentials disappear when Na is replaced by Li, Tris, or choline. They are insensitive to TTX. The EGTA-induced waves are abolished by Mn, Co, La, verapamil, and D 600. After 10-15 min in 5 mM EGTA, voltage-current and abolition of anomalous rectification. It is concluded that when bound Ca is removed by a chelator, nonspecific reduction in resistance occurs and Na ions may enter rhythmically through channels normally used by Ca.

Rats, given the choice, avoid exposure to alternating current (ac) 60-Hz electric fields at intensities > or = 75 kV/m. This study investigated the generality of this behavior by studying the response of rats when exposed to high voltage direct current (HVdc) electric fields. Three hundred eighty male Long Evans rats were studied in 9 experiments with 40 rats per experiment and in one experiment with 20 rats to determine 1) if rats avoid exposure to HVdc electric fields of varying field strengths, and 2) if avoidance did occur, what role, if any, the concentration of air ions would have on the avoidance behavior. In all experiments a three-compartment glass shuttlebox was used; either the left or right compartment could be exposed to a combination of HVdc electric fields and air ions while the other compartment remained sham-exposed. The third, center compartment was a transition zone between exposure and sham-exposure. In each experiment, the rats were individually assessed in 1-h sessions where half of the rats (n = 20) had the choice to locomote between the two sides being exposed or sham-exposed, while the other half of the rats (n = 20) were sham-exposed regardless of their location, except in one experiment where there was no sham-exposed group. The exposure levels for the first six experiments were 80, 55, 42.5, 30, -36, and -55 kV/m, respectively. The air ion concentration was constant at 1.4 x 10(6) ions/cc for the four positive exposure levels and -1.4 x 10(6) ions/cc for the two negative exposure levels. Rats having a choice between exposure and non-exposure relative to always sham-exposed control animals significantly reduced the amount of time spent on the exposed side at 80 kV/m (P < .002) as they did at both 55 and -55 kV/m (P < .005). No significant differences between groups were observed at 42.5, 30, or -36 kV/m. To determine what role the air ion concentration might have had on the avoidance behavior at field strengths of 55 kV/m or greater, four additional experiments were conducted. The HVdc exposure level was held constant at either -55 kV/m (for three experiments) or -55 kV/m (for 1 experiment) while the air ion concentration was varied between experiments at 2.5 x 10(5) ions/cc, 1.0 x 10(4) for two of the experiments and was below the measurement limit (< +/- 2 x 10(3) ions/cc) for the other two experiments at 55 and -55 kV/m.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

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Chronic exposure of animals to 60-Hz electric fields is known to affect the nervous system in a variety of subtle ways. The mechanism whereby these effects are produced remains unknown. One hypothesis is that the effects are a result of direct interaction between neuronal membranes and induced currents. Alternatively, the effects could be produced indirectly, as a result of sensory stimulation and the resulting low-level stress. To test these hypotheses, a system was developed to expose the surface of an anesthetized cat's paw to surface electric fields up to 600 kV/m while simultaneously measuring, in dorsal root fibers, afferent nerve impulses originating from various receptor types in the exposed paw. Of the 245 receptor units tested, comprising ten cutaneous receptor types, ten responded to the electric field with an increase in firing rate. The most sensitive receptor type was the rapidly adapting field receptor (RAF); eight of 20 (40%) were sensitive to the electric field, with thresholds as low as 160 kV/m. One of 35 rapidly adapting high-frequency receptors and one of 22 type T hair-follicle receptors were also sensitive to the electric field. Follow-up tests on the RAF receptors showed that hair removal reduced but did not eliminate the electric field sensitivity, suggesting that at least one other mechanism was involved in addition to stimulation via hair movement. The most likely mechanism is field-induced vibrations of the skin, since a further reduction in firing rate occurred following application of mineral oil to the depilated paw. Direct interaction with neuronal membranes is not supported by our evidence.