Nature of the Schwann cell electrical potential. Effects of the external ionic concentrations and a cardiac glycoside

The effects on the Schwann cell electrical potential of external ionic concentrations and of K-strophanthoside were investigated. Increasing (K)_o depolarized the cell. The potential is related to the logarithm of (K)_o in a quasi-linear fashion. The linear portion of the curve has a slope of 45 mv/ten-fold change in (K)_o. Diminutions of (Na)_o and (Cl)_o produced only small variations in the potential. Calcium and magnesium can be replaced by 44 mM calcium without altering the potential. Increase of (Ca)_o to 88 mM produced about 10 mv hyperpolarization. The cell was hyperpolarized by 11 mv and 4 mv within 1 min after applying K-strophanthoside at concentrations of 10^-3 and 10^-5 M, respectively. No variations of cellular potassium, sodium, or chloride were observed 3 min after applying the glycoside. The hyperpolarization caused by 10^-3 M K-strophanthoside was not observed when (K)_o was diminished to 1 or 0.1 mM or was increased to 30 mM. At a (K)_o of 30 mM, 10^-2 M strophanthoside was required to produce the hyperpolarizing effect. In high calcium, the cell was further hyperpolarized by the glycoside. The initial hyperpolarization caused by the glycoside was followed by a gradual depolarization and a decrease of the cellular potassium concentration. The results indicate that the Schwann cell potential of about -40 mv is due to ionic diffusion, mainly of potassium, and to a cardiac glycoside-sensitive ion transport process.