Calcium ions in KCl solution change the surface structure of Millipore DOPH model membrane and reduce the hydrophilic area. The stereoscopic microscope mounted with a photomultiplier on the eyepiece could detect quantitatively the conformational changes as the intensity of reflected light. The degree of the conformational change depended on kinds of salt solutions (KCl, NaCl, LiCl) and pH in these solutions. A higher Ca
2+ ion concentration was needed to obtain change of the same degree in LiCl solution. From these results it has been concluded that the conformational change were caused by replacement of K
+ ions with Ca
2+ ions in the hydrophilic base of DOPH molecules.
The Millipore DOPH membrane increases the resistance, if the conformation changes with Ca
2+ ions, and the resistance oscillates while a current and a pressure stimuli are applied. These stimuli create partially the concentration gradient of K
+ ions in the membrane, and Ca
2+ ions are dissociated from the hydrophilic base of DOPH molecules. The dissociation decreases the resistance, and it also drops the potential difference across the membrane which the constant current produces. As this drop decreases the gradient of K
+ ion concentration in the membrane, Ca
2+ ions again combine with the hydrophilic base and the membrane resistance also recovers. The repetition of this process is oscillation mechanism of the membrane resistance.
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