DISTURBED SODIUM AND CALCIUM EXCHANGE IN ERYTHROCYTES OF SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 70  (6) , 462-465
Abstract
In red blood cells of spontaneously hypertensive and of normotensive rats, intracellular Na+ activity (aiNa), Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) and Ca2+ activity (aiCa) were measured by ion-selective electrodes and flame photometry, respectively. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, aiNa and aiCa were significantly elevated as compared with the normotensive controls. [Na+]i showed no significant difference. In hypertensive animals, aiNa exceeded [Na+]i, in normotensive rats aiNa was lower than [Na+]i. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, the transmembraneous distribution of free Na+ apparently is altered. An elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ may contribute to increased vascular contractility in hypertensive animals. The described abnormalities may be caused by a lowered binding capacity of intracellular macromolecules for Na+ and Ca2+.