PERMEABILITY AND IMPERMEABILITY OF CELL MEMBRANES FOR IONS

The ion permeability of the plasma membrane has long been recognized as an important problem in cell function. A considerable portion of present day blood chemistry, for example, depends upon a membrane permeability to ions. On the other hand, many osmotic measurements of the membrane permeability to water and molecular solutes have been interpreted on the assumption of a negligible ion permeability.