scholarly journals A Hundred-Year Researching History on the Low Ionic Strength in Red Blood Cells: Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 139-168
Author(s):  
GF Fuhrmann ◽  
KJ Netter

This review article provides a critical survey of work from 1904 to 2003 on the effects of low ionic strength in Red Blood Cells (RBCs) incubated in media with impermeable sugars such as sucrose. In 1904 Gürber A washed RBCs of different species with isotonic sucrose solution to eliminate the outside ions in order to better analyse their intracellular ionic composition; however, this approach was not feasible because of a substantial salt efflux from the cells. A prominent feature of the salt loss is the shrinking of the RBCs. A central role in the understanding of the ionic movements is thereby the new Donnan equilibrium of the anions. Experimental evidence has been given by Jacobs MH and Parpart AK in 1933. In the sucrose medium two phases could be predicted: 1) a very rapid anionic shift resulting in an unequal distribution of chloride and hydroxyl anions on both sides of the membrane and 2) a leakage of salts from the RBCs. In 1940 Wilbrandt W assumed that a positive membrane potential is in line with the salt loss at low ionic strength in RBCs. In 1977 Knauf PA, Fuhrmann GF, Rothstein S and Rothstein A observed in RBCs an inhibition of both, anion exchange and also of net anion efflux, by incubation with disulfonic stilbene derivates. At low ionic strength the Donnan equilibrium is immediately obtained by the Anion Exchanger Protein (AEP). The resulting positive membrane potential opens at least two new types of cation pores or channels. Thereby is the conductivity pathway for the anions, namely the AEP, in charge of the net anion loss at low ionic strength. The AEP pathway is extensively blocked by disulfonic stilbene compounds. The permeability ways for cations through these pores or channels are not yet explored.

1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (1) ◽  
pp. C55-C64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Adorante ◽  
R. I. Macey

Human red blood cells pretreated with low-ionic-strength solutions and resuspended in saline respond biphasically to extracellular Ca. At first, addition of Ca causes a large transient K efflux of as much as 600 mM . liter cell H2O-1 . h-1; this is followed by a decrease in K flux below control levels. The first phase (phase I) resembles the Gardos effect in several respects. It is inhibited by oligomycin, by external K, and by increased exposure time to Ca. Further, the K permeability of phase I is similar to that of the Gardos effect (5 X 10(-8)-9 X 10(-8) cm/s), and the cells hyperpolarize in a low-K medium when Ca2+ is added. However, phase I is not identical to the Gardos phenomenon. For example, La, which prevents the Gardos response, is ineffective on phase I. Moreover, external Ba prevents the development of phase I but not the Gardos response, whereas internal Ba prevents the Gardos response. Attempts to demonstrate a Ca leak or pump failure during phase I have failed; passive Ca movements of both treated and normal cells are similar. The results suggest that low-ionic-strength solution exposes Ca-sensitive sites to the external medium; these sites are maintained when the cells are returned to saline.


2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Moersdorf ◽  
Stephane Egee ◽  
Claudia Hahn ◽  
Benjamin Hanf ◽  
Clive Ellory ◽  
...  

Biochemistry ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 3315-3330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Sims ◽  
Alan S. Waggoner ◽  
Chao-Huei Wang ◽  
Joseph F. Hoffman

1984 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
J C Parker ◽  
V Castranova

Shrinkage of dog red blood cells (RBC) activates a Na transport pathway that is Cl dependent, amiloride sensitive, and capable of conducting Na-proton counterflow. It is possible to establish transmembrane gradients for either Na or protons and to demonstrate that each cation species can drive reciprocal movements of the other. The nature of the coupling between Na and proton movements was investigated using the fluorescent probe diS-C3(5) and also by an indirect method in which K movements through valinomycin channels were used to draw inferences about the membrane potential. No evidence was found to suggest that the Na-proton pathway activated by shrinkage of dog RBC is a conductive one. By exclusion, it is presumed that the coupling between the counterflow of Na and protons is electroneutral. The volume-activated Na-proton fluxes in dog RBC have certain properties that distinguish them from similar transport pathways in other cell types.


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