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Published on: March 28, 2014
ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF FERTILIZED ARBACIA EGG SUSPENSIONS.
1Department of Physiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
The high resistance of Arbacia egg membranes is located at the plasma membrane, not the fertilization membrane. Fertilization increases membrane capacity at the plasma membrane, not the fertilization envelope.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- The Arbacia egg's membrane properties are crucial for understanding cell function.
- Previous studies suggested the fertilization membrane significantly impacts electrical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely locate the high resistance membrane in Arbacia eggs.
- To investigate the electrical properties of the perivitelline space and fertilization membrane.
- To clarify the role of the fertilization membrane in changes in membrane capacity post-fertilization.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of low frequency alternating current impedance.
- Measurement of volume concentrations of Arbacia egg suspensions.
- Comparison of electrical properties between unfertilized and fertilized eggs.
Main Results:
- The high resistance membrane is confirmed to be at or very near the plasma membrane in both unfertilized and fertilized Arbacia eggs.
- The specific resistances of the perivitelline space and fertilization membrane are similar to that of sea water.
- The capacity element appearing after fertilization has a lesser effect than previously reported, indicating the fertilization membrane has lower capacity.
Conclusions:
- The fertilization membrane does not possess the high capacity previously attributed to it.
- The increase in membrane capacity upon fertilization occurs at or near the plasma membrane.
