Studies on the Effect of Ional Concentration of Immersion Medium on the Structure of Peripheral Nerve with an Electronmicroscope

Abstract

For the purpose of the physiological analysis on the mechanism of the exitation and its conduction, the effects of ional concentration and ionic species of immersion media on the fine structure of peripheral nerve are researched with an electron microscope.
1. Axonfilaments are dipersed. in an aqueous media containing NaCI or KCI of very hypertonic concentrations. The limit concentration which disperse axonfilaments is 2.8% (1/2 Mol.) of NaCl, and 6.8 % (1 Mol.) to 13.6 % on the case of KCl. The beads-like shapes of the axonfilaments are observed only partially in media at about the limit concentration.
These results show that the factor which make up the axonfilaments is chiefly the ionic linkages of the intermacromolecules. It is considered that the axonfilaments must be made up of liponucleoprotein system in order to let the exitation conduct. The essential mechanism of the exitation and its conduction is mostly the splitting of these ionic linkages and its subsequent conduction.
2. The myelin sheath preserves its own layer appearances of the electron dense lamellae within a wider range than do the axonfilaments, but is destroyed in aqueous media containing NaCI and KCI in about a 2 Mol. concentration. In these cases the electrondense line or membrane is clearly observed at the center of the double layer of lipid. This electrondense line or membrane is made up of osmiumparticles that are reduced and bound in the spaces of increased size which are produced from a binding of additional ions together with their associated water inter the double layer of lipid. It is suggested the hydrophilic radicals of lipid layers face each and the binding force is constructed of cations and negative charged radical of lipid. On the other hand, the intermacromolecular binding forces, which make up the lipoprotein lamellae are mostly the hydrogen bond and Van der Waals forces.