Mechanisms of Action Potential Propagation Failure at Sites of Axon Branching in the Crayfish

1. The phenomena leading to action potential conduction block during repetitive stimulation of the excitor axon of the opener muscle in the crayfish walking leg were studied. 2. Action potentials, recorded extracellularly with micro-electrodes, failed to propagate past sites of axonal bifurcation following at least 3000 impulses; reduction of the rate or brief cessation of stimulation resulted in restored conduction. 3. Failure occurred initially at branch points located most peripherally and then more centrally as stimulation continued; this centripetal progression of the site of block resulted in a stepwise reduction of the number of synaptic terminals from which transmitter was released. 4. Prior to conduction failure, the conduction velocity and the sodium inward current of the action potentials decreased. 5. Local application of hyperpolarizing current or of physiological saline with low [K+] in the vicinity of a block can restore propagation; thus depolarization of the membrane most probably causes failure. 6. Soaking the preparation for as long as 2 hr in the metabolic inhibitor 2,4-dinitrophenol had no effect on the number of stimulus impulses before initial conduction block; however, the time required for recovery from the failure was prolonged. 7. The number of impulses prior to block was related directly to the temperature of the preparation; this had a Q10 calculated to be about 1 . 3. 8. It is suggested that during repetitive activity, the K+ gradient across the membrane is reduced, resulting in depolarization and eventually in conduction failure.