Slow actions of hyperpolarization on sodium channels in the membrane of myelinated nerve.

The mean sodium current, I, and the variance of sodium current fluctuations, var, were measured in myelinated nerve during a depolarization to V = 40 mV applied from the resting potential (VH = 0) or from a hyperpolarizing holding potential VH = -28 mV. From I and var the relative variations in the number N and the conductance gamma of sodium channels following changes of the holding potential were calculated. Hyperpolarizing the membrane from VH = 0 to -28 mV increased N by a factor of 3.7, whereas gamma decreased by a factor of 0.53. These actions of holding potential on sodium channels develop slowly since 500 ms prepulses to 0 or -28 mV do not alter the values of N and gamma.