Oscillatory Behavior of the Squid Axon Membrane Potential

Squid axons impaled with a microelectrode have been treated with concentrations of xylene and benzene such that there is no change in threshold or resting potential at 20 degrees C., while the spike height declines about 10 mv. A decrease in ambient temperature results in large, reversible, increases in threshold. While neither low temperature nor the added blocking agent induces repetitive firing from a single stimulus, the two treatments when combined do yield repetitive responses which commence at a sharply defined temperature. The alteration in the membrane responsible for the effects observed can be described by saying that there has been a large increase in the inductance of the equivalent electric circuit, and the temperature coefficient of the apparent membrane inductance has a Q(10) = 5.