The effect of calcium on gill potentials and on sodium and chloride fluxes in the goldfish,Carassius auratus

Summary Measurements of electric potential and of sodium and chloride effluxes were carried out on a freshwater fish, the goldfishCarassius auratus. The potential was affected by a number of inorganic ion species but that with the most significant influence on transepithelial potential was calcium. The potential was about 10 mV negative in the absence of calcium and about 10 mV positive in the presence of 10 mM/l calcium. Sodium and chloride efflux rates were greatly reduced upon the addition of calcium to the medium. The origin of the transepithelial potential is discussed in terms of the relative permeability of the branchial membranes to sodium and chloride and the factors influencing these permeabilities.