The biomagnetic signature of a crushed axon. A comparison of theory and experiment

Abstract

The response of a crayfish medial giant axon to a nerve crush is examined with a biomagnetic current probe. The experimental data is interpreted with a theoretical model that incorporates both radial and axial ionic transport and membrane kinetics similar to those in the Hodgkin/Huxley model. Our experiments show that the effects of the crush are manifested statically as an elevation of the resting potential and dynamically as a reduction in the amplitude of the action current and potential, and are observable up to 10 mm from the crush. In addition, the normally biphasic action current becomes monophasic near the crush. The model reflects these observations accurately, and based on the experimental data, it predicts that the crush seals with a time constant of 45 s. The injury current density entering the axon through the crush is calculated to be initially on the order of 0.1 mA/mm2 and may last until the crush seals or until the concentration gradients between the intra- and extracellular spaces equilibrate.