Source of Bioelectricity,Investigated by the Relation Between Stainability and Electric Charges in Tissues and Artificial Models

Abstract

Little is known about the electrical action inside of living tissue. Its nature and cause can be elucidated to a certain degree by comparing stainability and electromotive forces. 1

Numerous previous experiments have demonstrated the following relation between the stainability of tissues and bioelectric currents. Structures bearing a relatively negative charge are preferably stained by eosin and certain other acid dyes, while electrically positive structures seem to attract methylene blue and other staining bases, as expressed by the following scheme:

G. W. Crile was the first to indicate a similar relation in his so-called Bipolar Theory, which is the expression of his finding that the stainability of tissue runs parallel to the electric potential of its current of injury. 2 Crile found that both stainability and potential are decreased in exhaustion, chronic poisoning, hemorrhage, shock, infection, etc. J. Gicklhorn, R. Kellar and others have offered definite experimental proofs of the above relation by studying the stainability and electromotive forces of plant tissues. 3

Artificial systems have now been found which exhibit a relation between stainability and electromotive forces similar to that observed in living tissues. One such system in the following:

When shaken with a mixture of methylene blue and eosin (Wright's stain or Pinaese's mixture), I stains like basophilic tissue; for example, the nucleus; II stains like acidophilic tissue; for example, the cytoplasm.