The blood-sucking insect Rhodnius prolixus rapidly eliminates a Na(+)-rich K(+)-poor urine after its large meals. K(+)-rich fluid is first secreted by the upper Malpighian tubules and passes to the lower tubules where most of the potassium is reabsorbed. During the initial stimulation of the tubules, the lower tubules must be activated first to avoid loss of potassium. The major element in this...

Storing packed red blood cells (pRBCs) increases the potassium concentration. This effect is characterized in citrate phosphate dextrose/citrate phosphate dextrose adenine units but not published for Adsol (AS-5) units. The change in whole-blood potassium concentration in pediatric patients during routine transfusion is also poorly characterized. In this study, pediatric patients undergoing tra...

In order to understand the electrochemical behavior of a living cell at a low extracellular potassium concentration, a model is constructed. The model involves only the ATP driven sodium-potassium pump, and the sodium and potassium channels. Predictions of the model fit the N-shape of the current-voltage characteristic at low extracellular potassium. The model can, furthermore, quantitatively a...

The inward transport of potassium by separated dog erythrocytes has been studied at concentrations of potassium in the medium from 2.9 to 25.0 m.eq./liter and at 38.0 and 33.0 degrees C. At the physiological concentration of external potassium (4.06 m.eq./liter medium), the inward potassium flux is 0.11 m.eq./liter cells hour and the glucose consumption is 2.0 mM/liter cells hour. The dependenc...

Two methods of in vivo continuous microperfusion were used to evaluate separately luminal sodium concentration and fluid flow rate as factors regulating potassium secretion by the renal distal tubule of the rat. Emphasis was placed on evaluating changes in sodium concentration (43-97 mM) and flow rate (4-27 nl/min) within the physiological range. Absolute rates of Na, K, Cl, and H2O transport w...

The effect of potassium on the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells was analyzed in media made with extracellular potassium concentrations of 3, 4, 5, and 6 mmol/L. The migration of cultured porcine coronary artery cells was stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. In the first study, cells were exposed to PDGF-BB at concentrations of 0, 10, or 20 ng/mL for 5 hours with th...

Darrow and his associates (1, 2) have recently obtained evidence that a correlation exists between the concentration of serum bicarbonate, muscle potassium, and intracellular sodium from a study on rats subjected to procedures designed to produce a deficit of one of the ions sodium, chloride, or potassium. Thus, the serum bicarbonate concentration was found to vary directly with the intracellul...