Na+-Ca2+ exchange in bovine rod outer segments requires and transports K+

A Na+/Ca2+ exchange mechanism in apical membrane vesicles of the retinal pigment epithelium

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) lying between the neural retina and the choroid, performs as a transport organ for solutes and water between the choriocapillaries and the subretinal space. It also has the function to maintain the microenvironment of photoreceptors including the regulation of calcium ions during light or dark adaptation. In order to further elucidate the transport functions of the RPE, apical membranes were isolated from RPE by differential precipitation with divalent ions. In this work bovine tissues were used as well as elasmobranch tissues. For the latter, we have already purified and characterized membrane vesicles in a previous paper. Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase, which are marker enzymes of the apical membrane, were highly enriched in the final membrane fraction. The majority of the fraction consists of right side out vesicles. The fluorescent indicator for sodium, SBFI, or the calcium specific indicator, Fura-2, were pre-loaded into the apical membrane vesicles of RPE of either dogfish eyes or bovine eyes. When an outwardly-directed Ca2+ gradient was formed across the vesicular membranes, the Ca2+ influx was also enhanced by 136% for dogfish RPE and 167% for bovine RPE. This Na+ gradient dependent Ca2+ influx was blocked by bepridil, an antiarrhythmic agent which is a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger inhibitor. These results indicate that a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is present in the apical membrane of bovine and dogfish RPE.

In squid axons the Ca2+i regulatory site of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is drastically modified by sulfhydryl blocking agents. Evidences that intracellular Ca2+i regulatory and transport sites are different

We have explored the effect of the sulfhydryl group blocker p-chloromercuryphenylsulfonic acid (PCMBS) on Ca2+ and Na+ interactions with the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in squid giant nerve fibers. Steady-state Na+o-dependent Ca2+ efflux (forward) and Na+i-dependent Ca2+ influx (reverse) were measured in internally dialyzed, voltage clamped squid axons. External PCMBS (0.5 mM, for 25-35 min) has no effect on the activation of Ca2+ efflux by Na+o, and Ca2+o or on the activatory external monovalent cation site. In contrast, when applied internally it drastically reduces the affinity of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger towards Ca2+i ions without affecting its maximal rate of transport; in the presence of MgATP the K0.5 for Ca2+i activation of forward Na+/Ca2+ exchange increases from 1.5 microM to 95 microM; likewise the apparent affinity of the Ca2+i stimulation of the reversal exchange decreases 100-fold. Interestingly, no effect of PCMBS was found on the interactions between Na+i and Ca2+i ions with the internal transport site(s) (inhibition of Na+2o and Ca2+o-dependent Ca2+ efflux by Na+i). On the other hand, Na+i ions do not modify the interactions of Ca2+i with that site. Two important characteristics of the Ca2+i regulatory site are uncover in this work: (i) sulfhydryl groups are important in maintaining the integrity of the Ca2+ binding domain of the Ca2+i regulatory site and (ii) Na+i and Ca2+i regulatory, or Na+i and Ca2+i transporting sites, are different entities.

Sodium-calcium exchange

During the past year, significant advances have been made in the investigation of molecular, kinetic and electrophysiological aspects of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. The cardiac and retinal exchangers have been cloned and structure-function studies have begun.

Epidermal growth factor stimulates Ca2+ uptake of human erythrocytes

To examine the functional significance of epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding sites present on the human erythrocyte membrane [Engelmann et al. (1992) Am J Hematol 39:239-241], the effect of EGF on 45Ca2+ uptake and on 22Na+ efflux from these cells has been studied. In all cases media contained 1.25 mM Ca2+, whereas Na+ and K+ were varied. In 140 mM Na+/5 mM K+ medium EGF (250 ng/ml) stimulated 45Ca2+ uptake by 50%-90% in quin-2-loaded cells, and by up to threefold in untreated cells. Increasing extracellular K+ up to 75 mM at the expense of extracellular Na2+ stimulated the EGF-induced 45Ca2+ uptake by about twofold compared to 145 mM Na+ medium both in quin-2-loaded and in untreated cells. In 145 mM K+ medium, however, no EGF-induced 45Ca2+ uptake was detectable in quin-2-loaded cells, while in untreated cells Ca2+ entry was stimulated twofold by EGF. After increasing intracellular Na+ from 6 mmol/l cells to 18 mmol/l cells in untreated cells suspended in 145 mM K+ medium, 45Ca2+ uptake induced by EGF gradually increased. In contrast, in 140 mM Na+/5 mM K+ as well as in 70 mM Na+/75 mM K+ medium, 45Ca2+ uptake accelerated by EGF was largely unaffected by a modified red cell Na+ content. When 22Na-loaded untreated red cells were suspended in 145 mM K+ medium EGF stimulated red cell 22Na+ efflux by more than threefold. In 140 mM Na+/5 mM K+ as well as in 70 mM Na+/75 mM K+ medium, no 22Na+ efflux induced by the growth factor was evident.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Regulation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the rat pancreatic B cell

Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the B cell was recently characterized by measuring intracellular-Na(+)-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake in isolated rat pancreatic islet cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulation of this process. Extracellular pH (pHo) and intracellular pH (pHi) markedly affected Na+/Ca2+ exchange. A fall of 0.04 unit in pHi decreased the exchange by 45%, whereas a rise of 0.13 unit increased the uptake by 70%. Mitochondrial poisons (oligomycin, antimycin A and 2,4-dinitrophenol) inhibited reverse Na+/Ca2+ exchange by about 25-50%. The exchanger displayed a low Q10 (temperature coefficient), indicating that it is only indirectly dependent on metabolic energy. The phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate did not affect Na+/Ca2+ exchange. Likewise, lowering the extracellular K+ concentration did not inhibit 45Ca2+ uptake. In conclusion, the pHi and the metabolic state of the cell may represent important modulatory signals by which insulin secretagogues such as glucose could regulate reverse Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the B cell. The process does not appear to co-transport K+ nor to be influenced by protein kinase C.

Role of Na+/Ca2+ exchange in transcellular Ca2+ transport across primary cultures of rabbit kidney collecting system

Cells from connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct of rabbit kidney were isolated by immunodissection with mAb R2G9 and cultured on permeable filters. Confluent monolayers developed an amiloride-sensitive transepithelial potential difference of -50 +/- 1 mV (lumen negative) and a transepithelial resistance of 507 +/- 18 omega cm2. Transepithelial Ca2+ transport increased dose-dependently with apical [Ca2+] and, in solutions containing 1 mM Ca2+, the active transcellular Ca2+ transport rate was 92 +/- 2 nmol h-1 cm-2. Transcellular Ca2+ transport was dependent on basolateral Na+ (Nab+). Isoosmotic substitution of Nab+ for N-methylglucamine resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in Ca2+ absorption, with maximal inhibition of 67 +/- 5%. A Hill plot of the Na(+)-dependence yielded a coefficient of 1.9 +/- 0.4, indicating more than one Na+ site on a Na(+)-dependent Ca2+ transport system. In addition, the absence of Cab2+ resulted in a significant increase in Ca2+ transport both in the presence and absence of Nab+. Added basolaterally, ouabain (0.1 mM) inhibited Ca2+ transport to the same extent as did Na(+)-free solutions, while bepridil (0.1 mM), an inhibitor of Na+/Ca2+ exchange, reduced Ca2+ transport by 32 +/- 6%. Methoxyverapamil, felodipine, flunarizine and diltiazem (10 microM) were without effect. Depolarisation of the basolateral membrane, by raising [K+]b to 60 mM, significantly decreased transcellular Ca2+ transport, which is indicative of electrogenic Na+/Ca2+ exchange. In conclusion, active Ca2+ transport in the collecting system of rabbit kidney is largely driven by basolateral Na+/Ca2+ exchange. However, a residual Ca2+ absorption of about 30% was always observed, suggesting that other Ca2+ transport mechanisms, presumably a Ca(2+)-ATPase, participate as well.

Na+/Ca2+ exchange in plasma membrane vesicles from a glucose-responsive insulinoma

Plasma membrane vesicles from a glucose-responsive insulinoma exhibited properties consistent with the presence of a membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchange. The exchange was rapid, reversible, and was dependent on the external Ca2+ concentration (Km = 4.1 +/- 1.1 microM). External Na+ inhibited the uptake in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 15 mM). Dissipation of the Na+ gradient by 10 microM monensin decreased Na+/Ca2+ exchange from 0.74 +/- 0.17 nmoles/mg protein/s to 0.11 +/- 0.05 nmoles/mg protein/s. Exchange was not influenced by veratridine, tetrodotoxin and ouabain, or by modifiers of cAMP. No effect was seen using the calcium channel blockers, nitrendipine or nifedipine. Glucose had no direct effect on Na+/Ca2+ exchange, while glyceraldehyde, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone inhibited the exchange. Na+ induced efflux of calcium was seen in Ca2+ loaded vesicles and was half maximal at [Na+] of 11.1 +/- 0.75 mM. Ca2+ efflux was dependent on [Na+], with a Hill coefficient of 2.7 +/- 0.07 indicating that activation of Ca2+ release involves a minimum of three sites. The electrogenicity of this exchange was demonstrated using the lipophilic cation tetraphenylphosphonium [( 3H]-TPP), a membrane potential sensitive probe. [3H]-TPP uptake increased transiently during Na+/Ca2+ exchange indicating that the exchange generated a membrane potential. These results show that Na+/Ca2+ exchange operates in the beta cell and may be an important regulator of intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations.

Association of cyclic GMP-gated channels and Na(+)-Ca(2+)-K+ exchangers in bovine retinal rod outer segment plasma membranes

1. Cyclic GMP-gated channels and Na(+)-Ca(2+)-K+ exchangers from bovine photoreceptors were examined by investigation of the Ca2+ fluxes from vesicles of rod outer segment (ROS) membranes and from proteoliposomes obtained by solubilization of the ROS membrane proteins and reconstitution in soy bean L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (PC). 2. Whereas vesicles obtained by mild sonication of ROS membranes in a Ca(2+)-containing buffer yielded a maximal cyclic GMP-induced Ca2+ release of about 2.5% and a maximal Na(+)-induced Ca2+ release of about 7%, freezing and thawing of ROS membranes prior to sonication elevated these maximal Ca2+ releases to about 17% for cyclic GMP, and to about 34% for Na+. These observations are in agreement with the view that cyclic GMP-gated channels and Na(+)-Ca(2+)-K+ exchangers are localized only in the plasma membrane of the photoreceptors (which in bovine ROS makes up about 6% of the total membrane), whereas freezing and thawing results in fusion of disc and plasma membranes, thus leading to a distribution of these proteins over a much larger membrane area. 3. For fused ROS membranes, the cyclic GMP-releasable fraction of Ca2+ of 17% is an upper bound; assuming that the cyclic GMP-gated channels are randomly distributed we estimate that about 37% of the vesicles contain at least one cyclic GMP-gated channel. The mean diameter of the vesicles prepared by sonication was determined to be 0.12 +/- 0.04 micron, and therefore the fused ROS membranes contain about sixteen cyclic GMP-gated channels/microns 2. If all cyclic GMP-gated channels originated from the plasma membrane, we estimate that the plasma membrane contains about 270 cyclic GMP-gated channels/microns 2. 4. In vesicles prepared from fused ROS membranes, Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange after activation of the cyclic GMP-gated channels. On the other hand, after an exhaustive Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange, only little, if any, Ca2+ was released upon addition of cyclic GMP, demonstrating that cyclic GMP-gated channels and Na(+)-Ca(2+)-K+ exchangers occur on the same vesicle fraction. This observation suggests that Na(+)-Ca(2+)-K+ exchangers do not distribute independently of the cyclic GMP-gated channels upon membrane fusion but are apparently associated with the cyclic GMP-gated channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The stoichiometry of Na-Ca+K exchange in rod outer segments isolated from bovine retinas

Ca2+ extrusion in the outer segments of retinal rods (ROS) is mediated by a protein that couples both the inward Na+ gradient and the outward K+ gradient to Ca2+ extrusion. Na(+)-stimulated Ca2+ release from ROS requires internal K+ and is accompanied by release of internal K+, whereas a slow component of Na(+)-stimulated Ca2+ release does not require K+. In this paper we discuss our observations on the K+ transport via Na-Ca+ K exchange in bovine ROS, on the electrogenicity and stoichiometry of the ROS Na-Ca+ K exchanger, and on the mechanism on coupling Ca2+ to K+ via this protein. Finally, we discuss briefly the physiological implications of Na-Ca+ K exchange.

Molecular and mechanistic heterogeneity of the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger

1. Studying the effect of K+ on Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in rat brain SPMs revealed that a consistent stimulation was obtained. This stimulation persisted also when FCCP was included in the K(+)-containing reaction mixture to minimize the effect of membrane potential on the electrogenic process. 2. Using Rb+ as a K+ analogue revealed that it was cotransported with Ca2+ in a Na+ gradient-dependent manner. The ratio between the amount of Ca2+/Rb+ transported in rat brain SPMs in a Na+ gradient-dependent manner suggests that not all the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchangers in that preparation cotransport Rb+ (K+) with Ca2+. This is supported also by the finding that Na+ gradient-dependent Ca2+ influx can proceed in rat brain SPMs in the complete absence of K+ although to a lesser extent. 3. Protein purification studies and immunological characterization indicate that a 70-kDa protein is consistently detected in rat brain SPMs. Immunological characterization of the proteins expressed in the 14-18 S mRNA-injected Xenopus oocyte in conjunction with Na+ gradient dependent Ca2+ uptake activity or in the same mRNA-fortified reticulocyte lysate suggest that proteins of about 70 kDa are specifically synthesized. 4. Torpedo electric organ Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger differs at least in two respects from the rat brain Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger: It has a low affinity to Na+ (K0.5 = 170 mM), and it reaches maximal activity between 15-20 degrees C. Reconstitution studies suggest that the temperature difference might reflect a difference in the proteins themselves rather then a difference in membrane fluidity due to a difference in the membrane lipid composition.

The exchange in intact squid axons

The exchange in intact axons displays a number of features in common with other systems, but a number of interesting points remain to be examined. Both forward (Nao-Cai) and reverse (Cao-Nai) exchange are sensitive to changes in membrane potential, but potassium depolarization can also stimulate Cao-Nai exchange by chemical activation at a monovalent cation-binding site. By monitoring lithium uptakes into intact axons, activating cations do not appear to be transported on the exchange, but this deserves further examination under more stringent conditions. Cao-Nai exchange in intact axons appears activated by monovalent cations to a greater extent compared to dialyzed axons that exhibit little, if any, shift in the Km for Cao. The catalytic effect of Cai on Cao-Nai exchange seen in dialyzed axons proves elusive to study in intact axons, with or without introduction of Ca chelators. Experiments using ruthenium red suggest that free calcium can be dissociated from Cao-Nai exchange fluxes; this finding is also important to those studies monitoring exchange activity using Ca indicators. The possibility that Ca chelators may effect changes in the kinetics of Na-Ca exchange is a subject that needs further investigation.

Ca2+ movement in smooth muscle cells studied with one- and two-dimensional diffusion models

Although many of the processes involved in the regulation of Ca2+ in smooth muscle have been studied separately, it is still not well known how they are integrated into an overall regulatory system. To examine this question and to study the time course and spatial distribution of Ca2+ in cells after activation, one- and two-dimensional diffusion models of the cell that included the major processes thought to be involved in Ca regulation were developed. The models included terms describing Ca influx, buffering, plasma membrane extrusion, and release and reuptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. When possible these processes were described with known parameters. Simulations with the models indicated that the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pump is probably primarily responsible for the removal of cytoplasmic Ca2+ after cell activation. The plasma membrane Ca-ATPase and Na/Ca exchange appeared more likely to be involved in the long term regulation of Ca2+. Pumping processes in general had little influence on the rate of rise of Ca transients. The models also showed that spatial inhomogeneities in Ca2+ probably occur in cells during the spread of the Ca signal following activation and during the subsequent return of Ca2+ to its resting level.

Sodium-calcium exchange in renal epithelial cells: dependence on cell sodium and competitive inhibition by magnesium

Kinetic properties of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in a renal epithelial cell line (LLC-MK2) were assessed by measuring cytosolic free Ca2+ with fura-2 and 45Ca2+ influx. Replacing external Na+ with K+ produced relatively small increases in free Ca2+ and 45Ca2+ uptake unless the cells were incubated with ouabain. Ouabain markedly increased cell Na+ and strongly potentiated the effect of replacing external Na+ with K+ on free Ca2+ and 45Ca2+ uptake. 45Ca2+ influx in 140 mM K+ or N-methyl-D-glucamine minus influx in 140 mM Na+ was used to quantify Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity of Na(+)-loaded cells. The dependence of exchange on cell Na+ was sigmoidal; the K0.5 was 26 +/- 3 mmol/liter cell water space, and the Hill coefficient was 3.1 +/- 0.2. The kinetic features of the dependence of exchange on cell Na+ partly account for the small increase in Ca2+ influx when all external Na+ is replaced by K+. Besides raising cell Na+ ouabain appears to activate the exchanger. Magnesium competitively inhibited exchange activity. The potency of Mg2+ was 8.2-fold lower with potassium instead of N-methyl-D-glucamine or choline as the replacement for external Na+. Potassium also increased the Vmax of exchange by 86% and had no effect on the Km for Ca2+. The exchanger does not cause detectable 22Na(+)-Mg2+ exchange and does not appear to require K+ or transport 86Rb+. Although exchange activity was plentiful in the epithelial cells from monkey kidney, others from amphibian, canine, opossum, and porcine kidney had no detectable exchange activity. All of the measured kinetic properties of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in the renal epithelial cells are very similar to those of the exchanger in rat aortic myocytes.

Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange activity in synaptic plasma membranes derived from the electric organ of Torpedo ocellata

Synaptic plasma membranes obtained by hypo-osmotic treatment of purified Torpedo ocellata synaptosomes, contain an electrogenic Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange system. The dependence of the initial reaction rate on [Ca2+] reveals a single binding site for Ca2+ with an average apparent Km of 13.66 (S.D. = 12.07) microM [Ca2+] and maximal reaction velocity of Vmax = 11.33 (S.D. = 5.93) nmol/mg protein per s. The dependence of the initial rate of the Na+ gradient dependent Ca2+ influx on the internal [Na+] exhibits a sigmoidal curve which reaches half-maximal reaction rate at 170.8 (S.D. = 19.9) mM [Na+]. Addition of ATP gamma S does not change the K0.5 to Na+. The average Hill coefficient is 3.09 (S.D. = 0.86) indicating that 3-4 Na+ ions are exchanged for each Ca2+. Na+ gradient dependent Ca2+ uptake in Torpedo SPMs takes place also in the absence of K+ suggesting that K+ co-transport is not obligatory. The temperature dependence of the initial and steady-state rates of Na+ gradient dependent Ca2+ influx reveal that maximal reaction velocities of the Torpedo exchanger are attained between 15 and 20 degrees C. The energy of activation between 0 and 20 degrees C is 20,826 cal/mol. In comparison, rat brain synaptic plasma membrane Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger reaches maximal reaction rates between 30 and 40 degrees C. Reconstitution of Torpedo or rat brain Na(+)-Ca2+ exchangers into a membrane composed of either Torpedo or brain phospholipids, does not alter the temperature dependence of the native Torpedo or rat brain Na(+)-Ca2+ exchangers; inspite of considerable differences in the composition of the fatty acyl chains that are esterified to brain and Torpedo phospholipid head groups and differences in membrane fluidity that were detected. An ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump, which is insensitive to FCCP, is also present in the same synaptic membrane.

Calcium regulation in neurons: transport processes

The ionic stoichiometry of the major Ca2+ transport mechanisms in neurons is still a matter for debate. The past year has seen some particularly interesting developments in this field, not least the finding that the neuronal Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange may be able to transport K+.

Electrogenic Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger, the link between intra- and extracellular calcium in the Limulus ventral photoreceptor

1. Limulus ventral photoreceptors were injected with Arsenazo III and the internal change in the calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i, was measured under voltage clamp conditions. It is shown that in response to a light flash the rising phase of the [Ca2+]i is independent of the clamp voltage, Vm. This observation is contrary to other results reported in the literature. Experiments are reported that resolve this contradiction (see paragraph 4). 2. The relaxation of the [Ca2+]i after a bright light flash was observed to have a fast and slow phase. A function consisting of the sum of an exponential and a ramp was fitted to the relaxation. The fast phase, characterized by the time constant of the exponential, was observed not to depend on Vm, while the slow phase, characterized by the slope of the ramp, was strongly dependent on Vm. Furthermore the slope of the slow phase is shown to depend on the external Na+ concentration, but not the time constant of the fast phase. 3. In the dark the [Ca2+]i was observed to increase when the cell was depolarized and to decrease when the cell was hyperpolarized. This observation was more pronounced when the cell was continuously illuminated. 4. When the cell was clamped to a depolarizing voltage before illumination of the cell, the maximum of the calcium indicator signal was observed to depend on how long the cell had been clamped before applying the light stimulus. This experiment resolves the contradiction mentioned in paragraph 1. 5. The results presented here are consistent with the interpretation that a Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger with a stoichiometry greater than 2:1 is the predominant link between intra- and extracellular calcium. Secondly that the light-induced intracellular calcium increase comes from a release by intracellular stores. Finally a measurable uptake of calcium occurs after a light-induced release, possibly by the internal calcium stores. The two-phase recovery of [Ca2+]i after a light flash is interpreted as being a calcium uptake by the internal stores, the fast phase, and removal by the electrogenic Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger, the slow phase.

The sodium-calcium exchanger of bovine rod photoreceptors: K(+)-dependence of the purified and reconstituted protein

The K(+)-dependence of the rod photoreceptor sodium-calcium exchanger was investigated using the Ca2(+)-sensitive dye arsenazo III after reconstitution of the purified protein into proteoliposomes. The uptake of Ca2+ by Na(+)-loaded liposomes was found to be greatly enhanced by the presence of external K+ (EC50 approximately 1 mM) in a Michaelis-Menten manner, suggesting that one K+ ion is involved in the transport of one Ca2+ ion. We also found a minimal degree of Ca2+ uptake in the total absence of K+. Other alkali cations, notably Rb+ and, to a lesser extent, Cs+, were also able to stimulate Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. We also investigated the K(+)-dependence of the photoreceptor Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger by determining the effects of electrochemical K+ gradients on the Na(+)-activated Ca2+ efflux from proteoliposomes. We found that, under conditions of membrane voltage clamp with FCCP, inwardly directed electrochemical K+ gradients (i.e., K0+ greater than Ki+) inhibited, whereas an outwardly directed electrochemical K+ gradient (i.e., Ki+ greater than K0+) enhanced, Na(+)-dependent Ca2+ efflux, consistent with the notion that K+ is cotransported in the same direction as Ca2+. The investigation of the reconstituted exchanger at physiological (i.e. Ki+ = 110 mM, K0+ = 2.5 mM) potassium concentrations revealed that the Na(+)-dependence of Ca2(+)-efflux was highly cooperative (n = 3.01 from Hill plots), indicating that at least three, but possibly four, Na+ ions are exchanged for one Ca2+ ion. Under these conditions the reconstituted exchanger showed a Km for Na+ of 26.1 mM, and a turnover number of 115 Ca2+.s-1 per exchanger molecule. Our results with the purified and reconstituted sodium-calcium exchanger from rod photoreceptors are therefore consistent with previous reports (Cervetto, L., Lagnado, L., Perry, R.J., Robinson, D.W. and McNaughton, P.A. (1989) Nature 337, 740-743; Schnetkamp, P.P.M., Basu, D.K. and Szerencsei, R.T. (1989) Am. J. Physiol. 257, C153-C157) that the sodium-calcium exchanger of rod photoreceptors cotransports K+ under physiological conditions with a stoichiometry of 4 Na+:1 Ca2+, 1K+.

Ca2+ extrusion across plasma membrane and Ca2+ uptake by intracellular stores

The aim of this review is to summarize the various systems that remove Ca2+ from the cytoplasm. We will initially focus on the Ca2+ pump and the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger of the plasma membrane. We will review the functional regulation of these systems and the recent progress obtained with molecular-biology techniques, which pointed to the existence of different isoforms of the Ca2+ pump. The Ca2+ pumps of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum will be discussed next, by summarizing the discoveries obtained with molecular-biology techniques, and by reviewing the physiological regulation of these proteins. We will finally briefly review the mitochondrial Ca(2+)-uptake mechanism.

In squid nerve fibers monovalent activating cations are not cotransported during Na+/Ca2+ exchange

Squid axons display a high activity of Na+/Ca2+ exchange which is largely increased by the presence of external K+, Li+, Rb+ and NH+4. In this work we have investigated whether this effect is associated with the cotransport of the monovalent cation along with Ca2+ ions. 86Rb+ influx and efflux have been measured in dialyzed squid axons during the activation (presence of Ca2+i) of Ca2+o/Na+i and Ca2+i/Ca2+o exchanges, while 86Rb+ uptake was determined in squid optic nerve membrane vesicles under equilibrium Ca2+/Ca2+ exchange conditions. Our results show that although K+o significantly increases Na+i-dependent Ca2+ influx (reverse Na+/Ca2+ exchange) and Rb+i stimulates Ca2+o-dependent Ca2+ efflux (Ca2+/Ca2+ exchange), no sizable transport of rubidium ions is coupled to calcium movement through the exchanger. Moreover, in the isolated membrane preparation no 86Rb+ uptake was associated with Ca2+/Ca2+ exchange. We conclude that in squid axons although monovalent cations activate the Na+/Ca2+ exchange they are not cotransported.

Is potassium co-transported by the cardiac Na-Ca exchange?

It has been suggested that the stoichiometry of the electrogenic Na-Ca exchange is 3Na:1Ca. Recently, however, it was reported in rod outer segments that the stoichiometry of Na-Ca exchange is not 3Na:1Ca but 4Na:1Ca + 1K. In cardiac cells, the reversal potential has always been measured in the absence of K or at a very low K concentration. We have, therefore, re-examined the reversal potential of the Na-Ca exchange current by whole-cell voltage clamp in single guinea-pig ventricular cells in the presence of K on both sides of the membrane. The Na-Ca exchange current reversed at potentials close to the calculated values for 3Na:1Ca stoichiometry even in the presence of K. The magnitude of the Na-Ca exchange current did not change in 1 and 10 mM [K]o. We therefore conclude that K is not co-transported by cardiac Na-Ca exchange and its stoichiometry is 3Na:1Ca.