EmilduBois-Reymond(1818-1896)·A German physiologist,thefounderofmodernelectrophysiologyUsinga galvanometer, du Bois-Reymond detected the flowofchargesthroughall muscularandnervoustissue.Hedevelopedtheviewthatalivingtissue,suchasmusclemightbe regardedas composed of anumberof"electricmolecules"having certain electricproperties,and thattheelectric behavior of the muscle as a whole in varyingcircumstanceswastheoutcomeofthebehaviorofthesenativeelectricmolecules.Hisresearchestablishedelectrophysiologyasascientificdiscipline
Emil du Bois‐Reymond (1818–1896) A German physiologist, the founder of modern electrophysiology Using a galvanometer, du Bois-Reymond detected the flow of charges through all muscular and nervous tissue. He developed the view that a living tissue, such as muscle, might be regarded as composed of a number of “electric molecules” having certain electric properties, and that the electric behavior of the muscle as a whole in varying circumstances was the outcome of the behavior of these native electric molecules. His research established electrophysiology as a scientific discipline
EarlylonChannelWorkIn Galvani's time,electricitywasstill thought of as akind of"fluid", and this line of reasoning allowed for the ancientRomanbelief that hollownervecells transmitting some sortoffluidmessengertootherpartsofthebodyThe late 18o0s:Thefirstguantitative measurementsinvolvingelectricalactivityinanimalcellsIn1850,Helmholtzsucceeded in determiningthe velocity of the electricsignal on a nerve cell andrealizedthat it trayeledmuchtooslowlytobeduesimplytoconductionsuchas occursinametalwire
Early Ion Channel Work In Galvani's time, electricity was still thought of as a kind of "fluid", and this line of reasoning allowed for the ancient Roman belief that hollow nerve cells transmitting some sort of fluid messenger to other parts of the body. The late 1800s: The first quantitative measurements involving electrical activity in animal cells In 1850, Helmholtz succeeded in determining the velocity of the electric signal on a nerve cell and realized that it traveled much too slowly to be due simply to conduction such as occurs in a metal wire
SidneyRinger(1836-1910)·ABritish clinicianand pharmacologist,serendipitouslydiscovered that Ca2+ was active in the heart, and performeda completely novel function: it carried the signal thatinitiatedheartcontractionRingerwasabletoshowthataddingsmall amountsofpotassium chloride to a normal solution of sodium chlorideallowed isolated organstostay functional for longerperiods oftime.Ringer'spaperspublishedintheJournalofPhysiologyinthe early 1880s are rightly acknowledged asthe startingpoint for the development of modern understanding of therole of calcium inthe contractionofthe heart
Sidney Ringer (1836–1910) A British clinician and pharmacologist, serendipitously discovered that Ca2+ was active in the heart, and performed a completely novel function: it carried the signal that initiated heart contraction. Ringer was able to show that adding small amounts of potassium chloride to a normal solution of sodium chloride allowed isolated organs to stay functional for longer periods of time. Ringer’s papers published in the Journal of Physiology in the early 1880s are rightly acknowledged as the starting point for the development of modern understanding of the role of calcium in the contraction of the heart
WilhelmOstwaldIn1890WilhelmOstwaldproposedthattheelectricalsignals measured in living tissue could be caused by ionsmovinginandoutthrough cell membranes.BalticGermanchemistSept.2,1853-Apr.4,1932NobelPrizeinChemistry1909
Wilhelm Ostwald In 1890 Wilhelm Ostwald proposed that the electrical signals measured in living tissue could be caused by ions moving in and out through cell membranes. Baltic German chemist Sept. 2, 1853 – Apr. 4, 1932 Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1909
Inthe20thcenturyIn1902,aGermanphysiologistnamedJuliusBernstein(1839-1917)correctlyproposedthatexcitablecellsweresurrounded by a membrane selective to K+ ions at rest,andthat during excitation the membrane becamepermeable tootherions.His hypothesisandresearchlaidthefoundationforunderstandingconductionofthenerveimpulseandelectricaltransmissionof information in thenervoussystem.In1907,theBritishphysiologistJohnNewtonLangley(1852-1925)introducedtheconceptofreceptormoleculesonthesurfacesofnerveandmuscletissue,in anattemptto explainthespecific and potent actionsof certainchemicals on muscleand nerve cells.Langley's theoriesweremuchdebated at thetime,andreceptors remainedtheoretical until theirdiscoveryinthe 1940s
In the 20th century In 1902, a German physiologist named Julius Bernstein (1839–1917) correctly proposed that excitable cells were surrounded by a membrane selective to K+ ions at rest, and that during excitation the membrane became permeable to other ions. His hypothesis and research laid the foundation for understanding conduction of the nerve impulse and electrical transmission of information in the nervous system. In 1907, the British physiologist John Newton Langley (1852–1925) introduced the concept of receptor molecules on the surfaces of nerve and muscle tissue, in an attempt to explain the specific and potent actions of certain chemicals on muscle and nerve cells. Langley’s theories were much debated at the time, and receptors remained theoretical until their discovery in the 1940s