CHANGING ELECTRICAL CONSTANTS OF THE FUNDULUS EGG PLASMA MEMBRANE

Electrical constants of the plasma membrane of the Fundulus egg have been measured with microelectrodes by the transient method. No consistent and significant membrane potential was measured. Membrane capacity averages 0.63 µF/cm.(2) for both unactivated and activated eggs. Membrane resistance averages 3450 ohm-cm.(2) in the unactivated eggs, but increases 2 to 7 times to an average of 13,290 ohm-cm.(2) in the fully activated state. In a hypertonic sucrose solution, the swelling of the egg proper is accompanied by a rapid fall of membrane resistance towards that in the unactivated state. The changes of the membrane resistance are interpreted as probably caused by alterations in the effective pore size in the plasma membrane.