Stabilization and rectification of muscle fiber membrane by tetrodotoxin

The mode of action of tetrodotoxin on the frog muscle fiber membrane has been analyzed with the aid of intracellular microelectrodes. Tetrodotoxin of 10 –7 concentration made the applied cathodal current ineffective in producing action potential, whereas the resting potential and resting membrane resistance underwent little or no change. With 10 –8 tetrodotoxin the muscle fibers responded with the small action potentials at high critical depolarizations. These results can be explained on the basis of the membrane being stabilized by inactivation of the sodium-carrying mechanism. Although delayed rectification was not observed in normal muscle fibers, it became apparent in the fibers rendered inexcitable by tetrodotoxin. This finding, together with other evidence in the existing literature, supports an applicability of the sodium theory to the frog muscle fibers.