Permselectivity of sound and carious human dental enamel as measured by membrane potential.

A microwell technique was used for determination of the permselectivities of sound and carious enamel in the same slice of tooth. The permselectivity determination was accomplished by drilling microwells in the enamel and filling them with a simulated plaque fluid containing lactate, carbonate, and inorganic ions at concentrations similar to those in resting plaque fluid, but with different concentrations of KCl. The electrical potentials developed across the enamel membrane were measured with microreference electrodes placed in the wells or in the solution outside the tooth. The results showed that the membrane potential was a function of the composition of the solutions separated by the enamel membrane and was independent of the composition of the solutions in the adjacent wells. The enamel was found to be cation-permselective, and sound enamel was more permselective than carious enamel. The flux rate of K+ was estimated from the change in the K+ concentration of the well solution as a function of time. The flux rate and the membrane potential data were used in the Nernst-Planck Flux Equation for calculation of the diffusion coefficient of K+ through enamel. The results indicate that the permselectivity of enamel can greatly influence the diffusion of ions through enamel membranes.