Action Current from a Single-Nerve Fiber

An electrophysiological technique that can record nerve impulses from a single nerve fiber is indispensable for studying modality-specific sensory receptors such as low threshold mechanoreceptors, thermal receptors, and nociceptors. The teased-fiber single-unit recording technique has long been used to resolve impulses that are likely to be from a single nerve fiber. The teased-fiber single-unit recording technique involves tedious nerve separation procedures, causes nerve fiber impairment, and is not a true single-fiber recording method. In the present study, we describe a new and true single-fiber recording technique, the pressure-clamped single-fiber recording method. We have applied this recording technique to mouse whisker hair follicle preparations with attached whisker afferents as well as to skin-nerve preparations made from mouse hindpaw skin and saphenous nerves. This new approach can record impulses from rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors (RA), slowly adapting type 1 mechanoreceptors (SA1), and slowly adapting type 2 mechanoreceptors (SA2) in these tissue preparations. We have also applied the pressure-clamped single-fiber recordings to record impulses on Aβ-fibers, Aδ-fibers, and C-fibers. The pressure-clamped single-fiber recording technique provides a new tool for sensory physiology and pain research.

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ACTION CURRENT OF THE SINGLE LATERAL-LINE NERVE FIBER OF FISH

The Japanese Journal of Physiology ◽

10.2170/jjphysiol.1.179 ◽

1950 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 179-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

YASUJI KATSUKI ◽

SHIZUO YOSHINO ◽

JUNG CHEN

Keyword(s):

Nerve Fiber ◽

Lateral Line ◽

Action Current ◽

Lateral Line Nerve

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“Sucrose gap” technique applied to single-nerve-fiber preparation

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta ◽

10.1016/0006-3002(62)90886-7 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 648-650

Author(s):

Wolf-D. Dettbarn ◽

Floyd A. Davis

Keyword(s):

Nerve Fiber ◽

Gap Technique ◽

Single Nerve ◽

Sucrose Gap

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The diffusion of oxygen and lactic acid through tissues

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character ◽

10.1098/rspb.1928.0064 ◽

1928 ◽

Vol 104 (728) ◽

pp. 39-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 331

Keyword(s):

Lactic Acid ◽

Aqueous Solutions ◽

Nerve Fiber ◽

Living Cell ◽

Diffusion Constant ◽

Fatigued Muscle ◽

Single Nerve ◽

Capillary Circulation ◽

Determining Factor

The diffusion of dissolved substances through cells and tissues is a determining factor in many vital processes. The slowness of diffusion on the scale of ordinary sensible objects gives to the unaided imagination an imperfect realisation of its speed and importance in systems of the dimensions of the living cell. The diffusion constant k is expressed in terms of the number of unit quantities of substance which diffuse per minute across an area of 1 sq. cm. in a gradient of concentration per cm. of 1 unit quantity per c. c. For aqueous solutions of ordinary substances k is usually of the order of 2 to 10 times 10 -4 . The diffusion constant is of the dimensions L 2 T -1 , 2 in length, -1 in time. Expressing it in units of 1μ (0·0001 cm.) instead of 1 cm., and of 1σ (0·001 sec.) instead of minutes, k is of the order of unity, instead of multiple of 10 -4 . Thus the diffusion constant is a fairly large quantity for systems involving distances of the order of 1μ and times of the order of 1σ. A cylinder 1 cm. in diameter composed of material similar to frog's nerve, if suddenly placed in oxygen, would take 185 minutes to attain 90 per cent. of is full saturation with that gas. An actual nerve 0·7 mm. thick would take 54 seconds for the same stage of saturation to be reached. A single nerve fiber 7μ thick would take only 5·4 σ. Again, the rapidity of diffusion attainable in systems of small dimensions is the basis of the capillary circulation, and therewith of the whole design of the larger animals; and the rate at which diffusion an supply oxygen to a fatigued muscle for the removal of lactic acid is an important factor in determining the speed at which recovery can occur.

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A comparative study of the effects of ions on whole nerve and isolated single nerve fiber preparations of crustacean neuromuscular systems

Journal of Cellular and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1002/jcp.1030180112 ◽

1941 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 109-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Talbot Howe Waterman

Keyword(s):

Comparative Study ◽

Nerve Fiber ◽

Single Nerve ◽

Neuromuscular Systems

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ROLE OF CATIONS, POTASSIUM, CALCIUM, AND SODIUM DURING EXCITATION OF FROG SINGLE NERVE FIBER

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.1962.25.1.94 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 94-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ernest B. Wright ◽

Hiroshi Ooyama

Keyword(s):

Nerve Fiber ◽

Single Nerve

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CONTINUOUS CONDUCTION OF IMPULSES IN PERIPHERAL MYELINATED NERVE FIBERS

The Journal of General Physiology ◽

10.1085/jgp.35.2.343 ◽

1951 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 343-360 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Y. Laporte

Keyword(s):

Nerve Fiber ◽

Continuous Process ◽

Conduction Block ◽

Nerve Fibers ◽

Nerve Trunk ◽

Conduction Time ◽

Myelinated Nerve ◽

Myelinated Nerve Fibers ◽

Single Nerve ◽

Internodal Segment

1. Conduction of impulses in peripheral myelinated fibers of a nerve trunk is a continuous process, since with uninjured nerve fibers: (a) within each internodal segment the conduction time increases continuously and linearly with increasing conduction distance; (b) the presence of nodes of Ranvier does not result in any detectable discontinuity in the conduction of the impulse; (c) the ascending phase of the spike always has an S shape and never presents signs of fractionation; (d) the shape and magnitude of the spike are constant at all points of each internodal segment. 2. Records have been presented of the external logitudinal current that flows during propagation of an impulse in undissected single nerve fiber (Fig. 6). 3. Propagation of impulses across a conduction block occurs with a readily demonstrable discontinuity.

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