The physiological responses of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to lithium (as LiCl) in moderately hard freshwater (CaCO(3) = 120-140 ppm, Na(+) = approximately 0.6 mM) were studied. The study employed a 15-day step-up exposure regime; 66 microg/L Li for the first 9 days and 528 microg/L for the next 6 days. The concentrations of plasma ions, apolipoprotein AI, total cholesterol, an...

In this work, mixed alkali metaphosphate glasses based on K-Na, Rb-Na, Rb-Li, Cs-Na and Cs-Li combinations were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), complex impedance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. DSC analyses show that both the glass transition (Tg) and melting temperatures (Tm) exhibit a clear mixed-ion effect. The ionic conductivity shows a strong mixed-ion effect and ...

To explore the role of pore-lining amino acids in Na+ channel ion-selectivity, pore residues were replaced serially with cysteine in cloned rat skeletal muscle Na+ channels. Ionic selectivity was determined by measuring permeability and ionic current ratios of whole-cell currents in Xenopus oocytes. The rSkM1 channels displayed an ionic selectivity sequence Na+ > Li+ > NH4+ > > Cs+ and were imp...

The pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme dialkylglycine decarboxylase (DGD) is activated by K+ and Rb+ ions, whereas Li+ and Na+ ions are inhibitory. A binding site for alkali metal ions close to the active site (site 1) was discovered in the crystal structure of DGD, and an exchange of K+ for Na+ at this site was shown to affect the conformation of two active site residues [Toney, M. D., Ho...

Voltage-sensitive Na+ channels from rat skeletal muscle plasma membrane vesicles were inserted into planar lipid bilayers in the presence of either of the alkaloid toxins veratridine (VT) or batrachotoxin (BTX). Both of these toxins are known to cause persistent activation of Na+ channels. With BTX as the channel activator, single channels remain open nearly all the time. Channels activated wit...

This review examines the physiological functions of the Li+-Na+ exchanger and Na+-K+-Cl- cotransport system in human red blood cells. Both transporters are family aggregated and determined mainly by genetic factors; they are present in kidney and vascular cells, where they are regulated by vasoactive substances. To assess the physiological function of these two transporters, we investigated the...

Basolateral uptake of organic anions in renal proximal tubule cells is indirectly coupled to the Na(+) gradient through Na(+)-dicarboxylate cotransport and organic anion/dicarboxylate exchange. One member of the organic anion transporter (OAT) family, Oat1, is expressed in the proximal tubule and is an organic anion/dicarboxylate exchanger. However, a second organic anion carrier, Oat3, is also...

Objective: In this study we would like to report the synthesis of pure and group I element doping of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) prepared using gelatin. The use of natural polymers for the preparation of the pure and doped nanoparticles can result in achieving low cost and eco-friendly advantages.Materials and Method: Pure and doped ZnO-NPs were obtained at 500 °C and The cytotoxicity of nanopa...

A kinetic study of the interaction of internal sodium with four different erythrocyte sodium transport pathways (ouabain-sensitive Na+-K+ pump, bumetanide-sensitive Na+-K+ cotransport system, Na+-Li+ countertransport, and Na+leak) has facilitated the distinction of the following subgroups of patients with essential hypertension: 1) Leak (+), exhibiting increased passive sodium permeability; 2) ...

During regulatory volume decrease (RVD) of human lens epithelial cells (hLECs) by clotrimazole (CTZ)-sensitive K fluxes, Na-K-2Cl cotransport (NKCC) remains active and K-Cl cotransport (KCC) inactive. To determine whether such an abnormal behavior was caused by RVD-induced cell shrinkage, NKCC was measured in the presence of either CTZ or in high K media to prevent RVD. NKCC transports RbCl + N...