ELECTROLYTE PERMEABILITY AND POTENTIAL STUDY OF HUMAN BASEMENT-MEMBRANE

The diffusion of electrolytes through a human basement membrane (anter ior lens capsule) was studied in order to understand the interaction m echanism between the membrane and ions. The membrane potential was als o measured by use of the Gibbs-Donnan system. The T.M.S. (Teorell, Mey er, Sievers) theory was applied for analysis of experimental data. The results show that the human basement membrane behaves as a barrier ag ainst to electrolyte diffusion due to the presence of ionogenic groups in this type of biomembrane. The comparison with the results obtained from similar studies of the bovine basement membrane was also carried out.