In resting skeletal muscle the potassium permeability is determined by the permeability of the inwardly potassium rectifier. Continuous resting membrane potential measurements are done to follow the relaxation of the membrane potential upon changes in potassium permeability. Inhibition of the inwardly potassium rectifier, by extracellular application of 80 microM Ba(2+), causes the cell to depolarize with mean time constants as follows: in control 127+/-7 s ( n=23), in the presence of bumetanide, as an inhibitor of the Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) cotransporter, 182+/-23 s ( n=7), in hypertonic media (340 mosmol/kg) 90.4+/-5 s ( n=7) and in reduced chloride medium 64+/-8 s ( n=5). The depolarizing relaxation of the membrane potential induced by reduction of extracellular potassium produces similar results. These time constants are at least three orders of magnitude slower than the time constants reported in the literature for the inhibition of the inwardly potassium rectifier. Chloride transport affects the relaxation of the membrane potential. A further characterization of chloride transport is done by following the relaxation of the membrane potential upon application of chloride transport modulators. It is argued that the electroneutral cotransporter, for which a flux was preliminarily estimated of 13.4 pmol cm(-2) s(-1), has a considerable role in the processes related to the resting membrane potential.