The Double Fixed Charge Membrane: Solution-Membrane Ion Partition Effects and Membrane Potentials

An analysis is made of the effect of solution-membrane partition of ions on the electrostatic potential and ion concentration profiles in fixed charge membranes. It is shown that the inclusion of partition effects gives rise to large solution-membrane “Donnan” potentials even when the concentration of fixed charges is of the same order as the concentration of the external solution. This effect renders the system and the simplified analysis of the double fixed charge membrane (FCM) previously given more applicable to biological membranes. An analysis is also given of the voltage dependence of the fluxes of individual ion species in the double FCM when it separates different ionic solutions and an expression is deduced for the membrane resting potential. Although the latter is similar in form to the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz (GHK) equation the corresponding value of the permeability ratio P_C1/P_K is under certain specified conditions both concentration and potential dependent.