Application of the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz current equation to membrane current-voltage data

A new approach for the analysis of current-voltage (IV) data is presented and applied to a variety of published data collected from various systems. Our analysis of published results shows that our method of analysis can account for the observed IV data. The calculated permeability coefficients are in reasonable agreement with those calculated from ion fluxes. In those cases where two ions are assumed to carry the current, the ratios of the calculated permeability coefficients are in agreement with those ratios determined from the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz voltage equation. In most cases, the entire IV curve can be accounted for by using our method of analysis. In several examples, only a portion of the IV curve is in agreement with the predictions. We attribute the failure to account for the IV data to reflect the failure of one or more of the assumptions used by the GHK current equation. In other cases, assuming that an additional ion carries the current, the treatment can account for the IV data. However, the identity of the extra ion cannot be established from these published data without additional studies (e.g., ionic replacement studies).