Membrane transport of potassium ions in erythrocytes of the American black bear, Ursus americanus.
1. Membrane transport of K ions was investigated in red blood cells of bears by methods of measurement of unidirectional isotopic fluxes. 2. Unlike red cells of dogs, red cells of bears exhibited a significant, though small, component of ouabain-sensitive K influx. 3. Ouabain-insensitive K influx, as in other carnivore cells, was activated by swelling and inhibited by shrinkage. Swelling-induced K influx was dependent upon presence of chloride ions but was not inhibited by furosemide or bumetanide. 4. Ouabain-sensitive K influx was largest with ATP and with high concentration of Na in the cell, but it persisted in the absence of cytoplasmic Na or ATP. It was also resistant to the drug, harmaline, at a concentration that in other cells fully inhibits ouabain-sensitive K influx. 5. It was concluded that under such adverse conditions ouabain-sensitive K influx represents another mode of the Na/K pump not fully described elsewhere. 6. Also, as in low K red cells of sheep and goat, apparent absence of Na/K pump activity in carnivore red cells may represent suppression rather than elimination of activity. 7. Ouabain-insensitive K influx showed a seasonal pattern with minima occurring in early winter, earlier than for the minimum observed in Na influx. 8. Ouabain-sensitive K influx tended to be lower in the hibernation season of the bear, but the seasonal pattern was not consistent.
Willis
J S
JS
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.
Nelson
R A
RA
Livingston
B
B
Marjanovic
M
M
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D002335:Carnivora / Q000097:blood*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006246:Harmaline / Q000494:pharmacology; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology; D001503:Ursidae / Q000097:blood*
D010042:Ouabain; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D012964:Sodium; D006246:Harmaline; D011188:Potassium