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Changes in absorption, fluorescence, dichroism, and birefringence in stained giant axons: Optical measurement of membrane potential

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Summary

The absorption, fluorescence, dichroism, and birefringence of stained squid axons were measured during action potentials and voltage clamp steps in an effort to find large optical signals that could be used to monitor membrane potential. Changes in all four optical properties were found that were linearly related to membrane potential and, with several new dyes, the signal-to-noise ratios were larger than any obtained previously. The problem of photodynamic damage was greatly diminished; with a merocyaninerhodanine dye, the photodynamic damage associated with intense light and the presence of oxygen was negligible. The absorption change obtained with this dye was relatively large; it could be measured with a signal-to-noise ratio of 100∶1 during a single action potential.

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Author notes

  1. W. N. Ross

    Present address: Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

  2. B. M. Salzberg

    Present address: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Dental Medicine, and Institute of Neurological Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  3. H. V. Davila

    Present address: Departmento de Fisiologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Yale University, School of Medicine, 06510, New Haven, Connecticut

    W. N. Ross, B. M. Salzberg, L. B. Cohen, A. Grinvald, H. V. Davila, A. S. Waggoner & C. H. Wang

  2. Department of Chemistry, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts

    W. N. Ross, B. M. Salzberg, L. B. Cohen, A. Grinvald, H. V. Davila, A. S. Waggoner & C. H. Wang

  3. The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

    W. N. Ross, B. M. Salzberg, L. B. Cohen, A. Grinvald, H. V. Davila, A. S. Waggoner & C. H. Wang

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  1. W. N. Ross
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  3. L. B. Cohen
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  4. A. Grinvald
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  5. H. V. Davila
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  6. A. S. Waggoner
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  7. C. H. Wang
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Ross, W.N., Salzberg, B.M., Cohen, L.B. et al. Changes in absorption, fluorescence, dichroism, and birefringence in stained giant axons: Optical measurement of membrane potential. J. Membrain Biol. 33, 141–183 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01869514

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01869514

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