THE CHLORIDE EQUILIBRIUM IN MUSCLE

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Abstract
Physiologic conditions predicted by Boyle and Conway (B. and C.) to increase Cl in muscle fibers, tested by them in excised muscle immersed in Ringer''s, were imposed upon live nephrectomized rats: an 11.5% increase in fiber water and an elevation of plasma K from 8.9 to 12.4 ni Eq./l- after peritoneal injn. of KC1. The Cl in fibers was estimated by the difference in distribution of inulin and Cl in muscle. Aliquot parts of a common Zn filtrate were analyzed by the Seliwanoff color reaction for inulin and the Volhard titration for Cl. The latter yield improved on addition of excess nitrate anions which supposedly released Cl from the muscle mince by anionic exchange. With elevation of plasma K, the Cl content of fibers rose from 4.5 to 7.0 m Eq./quarter kg. of dry muscle. This increment is significantly correlated to the K but not to the Cl concn. of plasma and fits the equation Cl1 [long dash](Cl/d)K derived from B. and C. (Wilde, Bull. Math. Biophysics 6: 105). Cl/d - 0.795 and d = Cl + HCO3 = 107.5 + 27.7, in which Cl was averaged from the 18 rats and HCO3 was estimated by substitution in the equation. If a Donnan relation applies, the activity of fiber K must be as low as 0.55. Detns. of extracellular and intracellular water volumes suggest that K is ineffective as an osmotic agent in the extracellular medium of muscle.

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