Lithium Substitution Analysis of Na and K Phases in a Small Artery
- 1 January 1974
- journal article
- research article
- Published by S. Karger AG in Journal of Vascular Research
- Vol. 11 (1-2) , 55-64
- https://doi.org/10.1159/000157999
Abstract
Cell Na in the rat tail artery was measured by replacing all extracellular Na with Li at 2°C. Water was partitioned with 14C-sorbitol as the marker. The binding capacity of the cytoplasm was estimated by ion-exchange after the destruction of cell membranes by alternate freezing and thawing. Cell Na is of the order of 20–25 mEq/kg dry weight and about 2/3 of this may be in free solution with [Na]i in the range of 15 mEq/liter. Cell K is about 220 mEq/kg dry weight and, of this, 30 mEq or more is bound so that [K]i is not greater than 190 mEq/liter. These estimates allow only for the low figure of 30 mEq as the sum of site-bound cell monovalent cations. It is shown, however, that as much as 50-60 mEq may be site-bound or otherwise restricted within the cell. A similar amount, mostly Na+, is site-bound within the paracellular matrix.Keywords
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