Spontaneous recovery from depolarizing drugs in rat diaphragm

1. The end-plate region in surface fibres of rat diaphragm was located by the use of polarizing filters. 2. Carbachol (100 microM) produced depolarization at the end-plate to -55 mV, as shown by continuous recording, with some indication of spontaneous recovery in the presence of the drug. The miniature end-plate potentials disappeared and remained absent. 3. By repeated sampling it was found that the resting potential at the end-plate had largely recovered after 45 min in the presence of carbachol. Individual fibres showed much variation in the rate of recovery, and in some fibres the repolarization was rapid. 4. In the absence of K, carbachol produced depolarization at the end-plate without significant recovery, as shown by repeated sampling. 5. When muscles were exposed to ouabain (100 microM) in addition to carbachol the end-plate remained depolarized without recovery for 60 min. The effect of ouabain was reversible: withdrawal of ouabain (in the presence of carbachol) led to substantial recovery. 6. Suberyldicholine (100 microM) gave results which were similar to those produced by carbachol. 7. It was inferred that the spontaneous recovery of membrane potential in the presence of carbachol and of suberyldicholine is a process which is sensitive to K and to ouabain.