Digitalis-like compounds in animal tissues.
The Na+, K+ activated adenosine triphosphatase is present in the membrane of eukaryotic cells and represents a major pathway for Na+ and K+ transport across the plasma membrane. Cardiac glycosides such as ouabain or digoxin suppress this enzyme activity by binding to a specific receptor on the membrane. Studies conducted in this and other laboratories have proven the existence of digitalis-like compounds in animal tissues which may serve as in vivo regulators of the Na+, K(+)-pump activity. This review summarizes the attempts to identify these compounds from animal tissues and examines the potential physiological role of some of the identified compounds.
Lichtstein
D
D
Department of Physiology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Samuelov
S
S
Gati
I
I
Wechter
W J
WJ
D000818:Animals; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism
D004071:Digitalis Glycosides; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase