INTRACELLULAR POTENTIAL OF RABBIT CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

A stable potential difference across corneal endothelial cell membranes (-45±2 mV, 301 impalements) was measured by minimizing mechanical disturbances and penetrating the cells with microelectrodes of 50-150 MΩ resistance. A microelectrode tip could be kept in a cell for as long as 40 min. The highest stable potential difference obtained was -75 mV. In addition, the input resistance of the cells was 29 MΩ in the average (20 impalements; range 3·5 to 93 MΩ). Treatment with 10-4m ouabain and high [K+] in the external medium decreased the intra-cellular potential difference. © 1979.