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Biochemical basis of nerve activity

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Radioactive Isotopes in Physiology Diagnostics and Therapy / Künstliche Radioaktive Isotope in Physiologie Diagnostik und Therapie

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Abstract

The function of nerve cells is that of carrying messages from one point of the body to another; they form the communication system of our organs. It is well established that these messages, the nerve impulses, are propagated by electric currents. Knowledge of the mechanism by which the electric currents are generated and propagated is essential for the understanding of nerve acticity. All modern concepts are based on the so-called “membrane theory” formulated by Bernstein (1902), after physical chemists, especially Traube, Ostwald and Nernst, had provided the theoretical background. According to this theory nerve fibers are surrounded by a semipermeable membrane which has a positive charge on the outside and a negative one on the inside; it is selectively permeable to K+. On stimulation the active region becomes permeable to all ions and therefore depolarized; thereby currents are generated which stimulate the adjacent points; the same process takes place there. In this way successive parts of the membrane are activated and the impulse is propagated along the axon.

This work was supported by the Division of Research Grants and Fellowships of the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service, Grant No. B-400, by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. G-4331, and by the Atomic Energy Commission, Contract No. AT(30-1)-1503.

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  1. David Nachmansohn
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H. Schwiegk F. Turba

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Nachmansohn, D. (1961). Biochemical basis of nerve activity. In: Schwiegk, H., Turba, F. (eds) Radioactive Isotopes in Physiology Diagnostics and Therapy / Künstliche Radioaktive Isotope in Physiologie Diagnostik und Therapie. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-49762-9_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-49762-9_22

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