Electrophysiological modifications induced by the fluorescent probe, pyrene, on Myxicola giant axons.

Current- and voltage-clamp experiments on Myxicola giant axons labelled with pyrene showed decreased Na+ and K+ conductances. The low-frequency membrane capacity and the gating charge transfer were slightly reduced. It may be inferred that pyrene is incorporated in some hydrophobic membrane domains close to the ionic channels.