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Journal of Experimental Biology 103,253-264 (1983)
Published by Company of Biologists 1983

The Ionic Basis of the Depolarizing Mechanoreceptor Potential of Paramecium Tetraurelia

YOUKO SATOW ¹, A. DON MURPHY ², and CHING KUNG ³

¹ The Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, U.S.A.; Division of Neurosciences, City of Hope Research Institute, 1450 East Duarte Road, Duarte, California 91010, U.S.A.
² The Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin,Madison, Wisconsin 53706, U.S.A.; Department of Zoology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, U.S.A.
³ The Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, University of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin 53706, U.S.A.

A depolarizing receptor potential produced by mechanical stimulation was studied in pawn mutants of Paramecium tetraurelia bathed in TEA solution. The potential was dependent upon the strength of the mechanical stimulation until a maximum response was reached. The maximum value was dependent on the concentration of external Ca²⁺. Discounting the change in resting potential (attributable to change in surface charge), the maximal receptor potential changed by 20 mV per 10-fold change in Ca²⁺ at the concentrations tested, confirming the result of Ogura & Machemer (1980) that Ca²⁺ is the major natural cation that carries the receptor current. Mg²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Mn²⁺ can substitute for Ca²⁺ in the generation of the depolarizing receptor potential. Except for Mn²⁺, this result is similar to that of de Peyer & Deitmer (1980) for Stylonychia. Na⁺, K⁺, Li⁺+ and TEA⁺ cannot effectively substitute for Ca²⁺.

Key words: Mechanoreceptor, Paramecium, receptor potential

Submitted on September 13, 1982
Accepted on November 10, 1982

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