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Increased Potassium Permeability by Calcium in Hypochromic Red Blood Cells
Author(s) -
Vettore Luciano,
Matteis Maria Concetta De,
Falezza Gian Carlo
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1977.tb02088.x
Subject(s) - calcium , potassium , incubation , chemistry , endocrinology , membrane permeability , medicine , permeability (electromagnetism) , cell , membrane , red cell , andrology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , organic chemistry
The red blood cell (RBC) content of Na + and K + were measured both on fresh cells from normal, heterozygous β‐thalassaemic and iron‐deficiency‐anaemic subjects, and on the same cells incubated for 24 h, at 37° C, either in presence or in absence of Calcium (Ca 2+ ). Ca 2+ did not increase membrane permeability to Na + , but increased the K + loss, both from normal cells and to a greater degree much more from hypochromic cells. Glucose largely prevented the K + loss from hypochromic cells incubated either in absence or in presence of Ca 2+ , probably maintaining an adequate level of ATP during the incubation. EDTA only partially decreased the permeability to K + in hypochromic cells incubated for 24 h at 37° C, possibly removing Ca 2+ bound to the cell membrane. The results suggest that Ca 2+ does not represent the primary cause of K + leak in hypochromic cells, but it is able to enhance a pre‐existing peculiar abnormality of the cell membrane when the ATP level slows down.