Electric Impedance of Single Marine Eggs

Alternating current impedance measurements have been made on several single marine eggs over the frequency range from 1 to 2500 kilocycles per second. The eggs were placed in the center of a short capillary made by heating the end of a 2 mm. thin walled glass tube until it nearly closed, and electrodes were placed in the sea water on each side of the egg. When it is assumed that the membrane conductance is negligible, the membrane capacity and internal resistances of unfertilized and fertilized Arbacia eggs agree with the values obtained from suspensions. Preliminary data on centrifugally separated half Arbacia eggs, and whole Cumingia and Chaetopterus eggs are given.