title: Characterisation of the potassium influx in rat erythrocytes.
abstract: In the rat erythrocyte membrane five different transport pathways for K+ are present. In addition to the well characterised K+ transport via the Na+ pump, the Na,K,Cl cotransport and the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel, there are a K,Cl cotransport and a residual (leak) K+ transport. The K,Cl cotransport is already present under physiological conditions, and can be stimulated by N-ethylmaleimide treatment but not by a cell volume increase. A low ionic strength stimulated increase of the residual K+ influx can be demonstrated in rat erythrocytes after suppressing the K,Cl cotransport pathway. Between 11 and 19 weeks of age, rats show significant differences in all transport pathways of the erythrocyte potassium influx. Using influx data from individual rats a significant correlation between the total K+ influx and the ouabain-sensitive K+ influx has been found. Maintaining the rats on a diet poor in essential fatty acids leads to a significant change of the linoleic acid content of the erythrocyte membrane phospholipids. However, no significant effect on the various K+ transport pathways has been found. An analysis of the fatty acid composition of the erythrocyte membrane phospholipids showed significant correlations between the content of oleic acid, and arachidonic acid, and the ouabain-sensitive K+ influx (as well as the total K+ influx).
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biophysik, Fachbereich Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, FRG.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ihrig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schönheit
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Häussner
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002034:Bumetanide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000097:blood; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D005227:Fatty Acids; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D002034:Bumetanide; D010042:Ouabain; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D011188:Potassium