THE PENETRATION OF SOME CATIONS INTO MUSCLE

Abstract

The influx of Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+ into frog sartorius muscle has been followed. The results show that a maximum rate is found for K+, while Na+ and Cs+ penetrate much more slowly. Similar measurements with Ca++, Ba++, and Ra++ show that Ba++ penetrates at a rate somewhat greater than that of either Ca++ or Ra++. All these divalent cations, however, penetrate at rates much slower than do the alkali cations. The results obtained are discussed with reference to a model that has been developed to explain the different penetration rates for the alkali cations.