Uncoupling of invertebrate electrotonic synapses by carbon dioxide

Abstract

Cell acidification was obtained by exposing to carbon dioxide the lateral giant axon of the crayfish and the buccal ganglion of Navanax inermis; electrophysiological measurements show that the resulting intracellular pH uncouples neurons and that this uncoupling is the consequence of increased junctional resistance at the level of the gap junctions. Conditions under which the uncoupling is reversible are also described.