The Sodium Fluxes in the Muscle Fibres of A Marine and A Freshwater Lamellibranch

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Abstract
1. Measurements have been made, using 24Na, of the efflux of sodium from the isolated ventricles of Mytilus edulis and Anodonta cygnaea. 2. In order to determine the efflux of sodium from the muscle fibres it is necessary to correct for the efflux of sodium from the extracellular space. It was not practicable to make such a correction to the results on Anodonta at 15° C. 3. The mean rate constants and effluxes of sodium from the muscle fibres are Mytilus at 5° C., 2.44 hr.-1 12x10-6 mM/cm.2/sec. at 15° C., 5.6 hr.-1; 27x10-6 mM/cm.2/sec. Anodonta at 5° C., 4.6 hr.-1; 3.1x10-6 mM/cm.2/sec. 4. The energy required for sodium extrusion, assuming it is entirely an active process, is: Mytilus at 5°C., 0.26 cal./g./hr. at 15°C., 0.62 cal./g./hr. Anodonta at 5° C., 0.046 cal./g./hr.