Theoretical study on asymmetric membrane potential.

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Abstract
It is well known that the asymmetry of membrane structure is closely related to the membrane function. Information on the asymmetry of membrane structure could be obtained if the asymmetric membrane potential could be analyzed accurately, since the asymmetry of membrane structure should affect the membrane potential. That the origin of the asymmetric membrane potential is the difference in properties between the 2 membrane surfaces is considered. The membrane is treated by dividing it into the 2 sublayer (surface layer) parts adjacent to each membrane surface and the inner membrane part. The asymmetric membrane potential is investigated theoretically on the base of this model. The effects of asymmetry with respect to the surface charge density on the surface potential and on the diffusion potential within the membrane evidently compensate for each other. The membrane potential is scarcely affected except in the case where the diffusion potential within the membrane is negligible. In an asymmetric membrane system with respect to the surface charge density, diffusion potential within the membrane is generated even if the mobility of a cation is equal to that of an anion. When the diffusion potential within the membrane is not negligible, only the effect of the asymmetry with respect to the standard chemical potential at the membrane surfaces is measurable experimentally. The theory was applied to the analysis of the membrane potential of a cellulose membrane, and gave good agreement with the experimental results. Various experimental methods to confirm whether the membrane is asymmetric or symmetric are discussed.

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