The Mode of Transverse Spread of Contraction Initiated by Local Activation in Single Crayfish Muscle Fibers

Isolated single crayfish muscle fibers were locally activated by applying negative current pulses to a pipette whose tip was in contact with the fiber surface. The contraction initiated by a moderate depolarization spread inwards in a graded manner according to the magnitude and duration of depolarization. Increase of the depolarized area increased the distance of the inward spread for a given amount of depolarization. If a large area of the surface membrane was depolarized with a large pipette for a sufficiently long time, the contraction spread not only inwards, but further transversely passing through the center of the fiber. Successive brief depolarizations given at an appropriate interval could produce contraction more effectively for a given amount of total current than did a prolonged depolarization. On the other hand, the contraction initiated by a strong negative current was observed to spread around the whole perimeter but not through the center of the fiber. Each type of local contraction always spread along the striation pattern and not longitudinally. Possible mechanisms of these responses are discussed in connection with the transverse tubular system of the muscle fibers.