Electrical Potential Profile of the Toad Skin Epithelium

The electrical potential profile of the isolated toad skin was recorded, in vitro, by impalement with micropipette-electrodes, when both sides of the skin were bathed with sulfate-Ringer. The outer side of the skin was some 110 mv negative with respect to the inner side. Upon impalement from the outer side, two main positive steps of 40 to 70 mv each were found to form the skin potential. The site of measurement of each potential difference was permanently marked in the tissue during recording, by deposition of carmine from the micropipette tip using iontophoresis. Serial histological sections of the skin were prepared and search was then made of the carmine deposits 2 to 6 micro in size, under phase contrast microscopy. By this method the main steps were located at the outer and the inner sides of the stratum germinativum cells. The DC resistances between the micropipette tip and the bathing solutions were measured during the recording of each potential difference. The resistance at the outer side of the stratum germinativum cells, of 1.09 kilohm. cm(2), was larger than that at their inner side, of 0.30 kilohm. cm(2). The stratum germinativum cells maintained a potential difference of -34 mv during short-circuiting of the skin.