Relationship between Adenosine Triphosphate and Cation Transport in the Human Red Cell. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Fresh human blood collected in heparin and glucose was treated with glycolytic poisons such as iodoacetate and 2-deoxyglucose to retard glycolysis and reduce the high energy phosphate stores of the red cell. Under these circumstances K⁺ began to leak out of the cells and Na⁺ began to leak in. In the presence of arsenate, glycolysis proceeded but high energy phosphate stores were not maintained and cation leakage also occurred. In a final experiment, both glycolysis and high energy phosphate stores were continued normally but ouabain was added to inhibit the transport ATPase. This prevented the coupling of ATP breakdown to active cation transport and allowed K⁺ to leak out of the red cell and Na⁺ to leak in.