Repetitive responses in squid giant axons and their premature annihilation by additional brief depolarizing currents

The repetitive responses induced in squid giant axons by the application of sustained depolarizing currents under space clamp conditions are described. The relationships between membrane current, and a number of features of the repetitive response of the living axon are compared to computations made for the Hodgkin-Huxley equations. The comparison suggests that these equations adequately predict the form of the repetitive response, even so far as the ability of a brief additional depolarization to cause a premature end to the repetitive response.