Recording voltage inside the giant axon
At Cambridge, Huxley moved from physics, chemistry and mathematics into physiology. In 1939 he joined Hodgkin at Plymouth, using the squid axon’s large diameter to place an electrode inside the fiber and record the potential difference across its membrane.
From experimental curves to equations
Their collaboration continued after the war. The 1952 paper used voltage-clamp data to determine changes in sodium and potassium conductance, then calculated excitation and propagation with a mathematical model. Measurements, equations and testable predictions constrained one another in this account of the action potential.
References: [3]
Microscopy of muscle contraction
From 1952 Huxley concentrated on muscle contraction. He developed an interference microscope to examine the striation patterns of isolated muscle fibers and continued this research. Designing optical equipment and formulating physiological questions were closely connected in his work.
References: [1]
Instrument making and teaching
Huxley also developed a microtome for electron-microscope sections and a micromanipulator. He became head of physiology at UCL in 1960 and later held a Royal Society research professorship. He died in 2012, leaving distinct but connected programs in nerve and muscle physiology.
References: [1]