title: Potassium transport in rabbit erythrocytes.
abstract: The aim of the present investigation is to study the nature of the ouabain-resistant tracer fluxes of K in rabbit erythrocytes. The data show that the rabbit red cell membrane has a high-capacity, chloride-dependent K transport which is stimulated by osmotic swelling, and which is relatively insensitive to inhibition by loop diuretics, compared to the Na-dependent K transport systems of human and avian red cells. It resembles a system first described in the "LK" (low potassium) sheep erythrocyte, and it is probably the pathway behind the net K efflux which accompanies the regulatory K loss seen in rabbit erythrocytes following osmotic swelling, first recognised by Davson (1937). Further, the rabbit red cell does not show NaKCl cotransport or paradoxical temperature dependence of the "passive leak".
authors.affiliation: Medical Unit, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Blackstock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002034:Bumetanide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002034:Bumetanide; D012964:Sodium; D005033:Ethylmaleimide; D011188:Potassium