The activation of the sodium pump in pig red blood cells by internal and external cations

Distribution of 137Cs in rat tissues after various schedules of chronic ingestion

The aim of this work was to compare the distribution of 137Cs in organisms after chronic ingestion following different schedules. Rats were contaminated through drinking water containing 6,500 Bq L(-1) of 137Cs, starting either at birth, at weaning, or upon reaching adult age (13 wk). Animals were then sacrificed after different durations of ingestion. 137Cs content of organs and excreta were determined by gamma counting. A slight decrease in 137Cs elimination through urine was observed according to the age of animals. All organs tested showed similar 137Cs content, with the exception of striated muscles and the thyroid at certain ages, which showed the highest accumulation of 137Cs. The lowest 137Cs concentration was found in the blood, which acts as a transfer compartment after absorption in the intestine. Substructures of the central nervous system showed a homogeneous level of 137Cs accumulation, except for the olfactive bulbs. In these structures, an increased concentration of 137Cs was observed, suggesting a possible direct route of intake through the nasal epithelium. Overall, these results are in agreement with current models for the biokinetics of 137Cs. However, these results also suggest that the thyroid should be taken into account in future models of 137Cs biokinetics.

A physiologically based biokinetic model for cesium in the human body

A physiologically descriptive model of the biological behavior of cesium in the human body has been constructed around a detailed blood flow model. The rate of transfer from plasma into a tissue is determined by the blood perfusion rate and the tissue-specific extraction fraction of Cs during passage from arterial to venous plasma. Information on tissue-specific extraction of Cs is supplemented with information on the Cs analogues, K and Rb, and known patterns of discrimination between these metals by tissues. The rate of return from a tissue to plasma is estimated from the relative contents of Cs in plasma and the tissue at equilibrium as estimated from environmental studies. Transfers of Cs other than exchange between plasma and tissues (e.g. secretions into the gastrointestinal tract) are based on a combination of physiological considerations and empirical data on Cs or related elements. Model predictions are consistent with the sizable database on the time-dependent distribution and retention of radiocesium in the human body.

Na,K-ATPase in artificial lipid vesicles. Comparison of Na,K and Na-only pumping mode

Na,K-ATPase from rabbit kidney outer medulla was reconstituted in large unilamellar lipid vesicles by detergent dialysis. Vesicles prepared in the presence or absence of potassium allowed to study two different transport modes: the (physiological) Na,K-mode in buffers containing Na+ and K+ and the Na-only mode in buffers containing Na+ but no K+. The ATP hydrolysis activity was obtained by determination of the liberated inorganic phosphate, Pi, and the inward directed Na+ flux was measured by 22Na-tracer flux. Electrogenic transport properties were studied using the membrane potential sensitive fluorescence-dye oxonol VI. The ratio upsilon(Na,K)/upsilon(Na) of the turnover rates in the Na,K-mode and in the Na-only mode is 6.6 +/- 2.0 under otherwise identical conditions and nonlimiting Na+ concentrations. Strong evidence is found that the Na-only mode exhibits a stoichiometry of 3Na+cyt/2Na+ext/1ATP, i.e. the extracellular (= intravesicular) Na+ has a potassium-like effect. In the Na-only mode one high-affinity binding side for ATP (KM congruent to 50 nM) was found, in the Na,K-mode a high- and low-affinity binding side with equilibrium dissociation constants, KM, of 60 nM and 13 microM, respectively. The sensitivity against the noncompetitively inhibiting ADP (KI = 6 microM) is higher by a factor of 20 in the Na-only mode compared to the Na,K-mode. From the temperature dependence of the pumping activity in both transport modes, activation energies of 160 kJ/mol for the Na,K-mode and 110 kJ/mol for the Na-only mode were determined.

Volume-activated Na/H exchange activity in fetal and adult pig red cells: inhibition by cyclic AMP

Hyposmotic swelling of pig red cells leads to a selective increase in K permeability, whereas hyperosmotic cell shrinkage augments the Na permeability. In this regard, the ouabain-resistant (OR) Na flux of red cells of newborn and adult pigs is characterized in detail. A reduction in cell volume by approximately 18% leads to an increase in the OR Na efflux of fetal and adult cells by 15- and fourfold, respectively. The OR Na influx in both cell types is equally influenced by cell shrinkage. Depletion of cellular K does not influence the volume-activated OR Na efflux. Nor does OR Na influx require external K. Both OR Na efflux and influx activated by shrinkage are inhibited by the diuretics furosemide and amiloride. The rank order of decreasing anion sensitivity for diuretic-sensitive Na efflux was acetate greater than chloride greater than gluconate greater than nitrate. Cell shrinkage induced by the addition of hypertonic salts results in an acidification of the unbuffered and CO2-free media, provided that both Na and DIDS are present. The acidification process can be reversed by either of the diuretic agents. These findings suggest that the shrinkage-activated OR Na flux is primarily mediated by a Na/H exchanger rather than by a Na/K/Cl cotransporter. Once loaded with either cAMP or cGMP, cell swelling can no longer activate the Na/H exchanger. The Na/H exchanger activity is detectable in the fetal cells of normal volume but quiescent in adult cells, indicating that the exchanger undergoes a developmental change during the transition from the fetal to adult stage.

(Na+ + K+)-ATPase in artificial lipid vesicles: influence of the concentration of mono- and divalent cations on the pumping rate

(Na+ + K+)-ATPase from kidney outer medulla was incorporated into artificial dioleoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. Transport activity was induced by adding ATP to the external medium. A voltage-sensitive dye was used to detect the ATP-driven potassium extrusion in the presence of valinomycin. The observed substrate-protein interactions of the reconstituted (Na+ + K+)-ATPase largely agree with that from native tissues. An agreement between ATP hydrolysis and transport activity is given for concentration dependences of sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium ions. The only significant deviations were observed in the influence of pH. Protons were found to have different influence on transport, enzymatic activity and phosphorylation of the enzyme. The transport studies showed a twofold interaction of protons with the protein: competition with sodium at the cytoplasmic ion binding sites, a non competitive inhibition of transport which is not correlated with protein phosphorylation.