title: Insulin action on membrane potential and glucose uptake: effects of high potassium.
abstract: These experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that insulin-induced hyperpolarization is a link in the chain of events leading to stimulation of glucose transport. External potassium concentration, [K+]o, was increased by equimolar substitution of KCl for NaCl, a method known to cause cell swelling, and by substitution of [K+]o for [Na+]o with maintenance of constant [K+]o X [Cl-]o product, a method that does not cause cell swelling. When there was constant KCl product, even at 76.8 meq [K+]o insulin continued to hyperpolarize, although by only approximately 44% as much as in normal [K+]o, and insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake was only approximately 60% of that at normal [K+]o. With equimolar substitution of KCl for NaCl: electrical potential difference across cell membranes of surface fibers of rat caudofemoralis muscle decreased with logarithm [K+]o, in the presence or absence of insulin. Insulin-induced hyperpolarization decreased as [K+]o increased and disappeared at 36 mM [K+]o. The amount of insulin bound to its receptors in 1 h was not affected by [K+]o over the range studied. Insulin effects on membrane potential and on 2-deoxyglucose uptake, as both were altered by [K+]o, correlated well. As the probe moved in depth through the first six fibers there was stepwise decrease in depolarization in high [K+]o in the absence of insulin. Insulin hyperpolarized the deepest of these fibers, even when it did not hyperpolarize the outermost. The decrease in insulin-induced hyperpolarization as [K+]o increases is consistent with the hypothesis that insulin hyperpolarizes by decreasing the ratio PNa/PK.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008954:Models, Biological; D009132:Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D051381:Rats; D012965:Sodium Chloride
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium