The effects of temperature and ouabain on steady-state Na and K exchanges in human lymphocytes

A cooperative transition theory applied to the kinetics of ionic exchanges in cells

Manifestations of a cooperative interaction between ion-adsorbing sites in cells include steep, sigmoidal equilibrium adsorption isotherms of K+ and Na+, critical temperature transitions of net exchanges of Na+ for K+, and the allosteric nature of the effects of ligands on cellular K+ and Na+. Cooperative ionic adsorption is described by a one-dimensional Ising model. The experimentally-determined equilibrium parameters permit prediction of the kinetics of exchange of K+ for Na+ (the approach to equilibrium) by stochastic or hydrodynamic solutions of a time-dependent Ising model. Studies of the rates of self-exchange of adsorbed ions reveal properties of the cooperatively interacting adsorption sites and their dependence on temperature and chemical potential. High rates of isotopic exchanges of K+ and Na+ occur near the transition point. This is explained by the hypothesis of an increase in susceptibility of the ensemble to slight variations of microK or microNA near the phase transition, which leads to an increase in microscopic fluctuations within the ensemble. It is suggested that the isotopic ion exchange experiment may be a means to explore the microscopic states of the ensemble and their transition probabilities.

Molecular mechanisms of glial swelling in vitro

The pathophysiological chain of events occurring during cerebral ischemia is still poorly understood on a molecular level. Therefore, an in vitro model to study glial swelling mechanisms, using C6 glial cells under controlled extracellular conditions, has been established. Flow cytometry serves to determine even small cell volume changes. In this report, the effects of anoxia and acidosis on glial swelling are summarized. Anoxia alone, or in combination with iodoacetate to inhibit anaerobic glycolysis, did not cause an increase of glial volume for up to 2 h. Acidification of the incubation medium below pH 6.8, on the other hand, was immediately followed by cell swelling to 115% of normal. Amiloride or the absence of bicarbonate and Na+ in the medium significantly reduced glial swelling. The data support the contention that swelling results from an activation of the Na+/H+-antiporter to control intracellular pH. It is suggested that swelling in an ischemic penumbra is promoted by this mechanism. Therapeutic approaches to control cerebral pH might be useful to protect brain tissue in cerebral ischemia.

The permeability of human lymphocytes to chloride

The normal amount of Cl in human lymphocytes is 82 mmoles/kg wet weight. Half of this undergoes rapid self-exchange with a half-time of 3 minutes, while the remainder exchanges slowly with a half-time of 180 minutes. The fast fraction of self-exchange of Cl also undergoes a rapid net loss into medium with a low concentration of Cl. Thus, exchange of Cl in lymphocytes has properties like that of K and Na with permeability constants on the order of 10(-6) cm/sec. The results are compatible with a simple model in which the fast fractions are dissolved within ordered cellular water at concentrations less than in the external medium and the slow fractions are adsorbed onto intracellular macromolecules.