Radial Water and Solute Flows in Roots of Zea mays: I. WATER FLOW

Water flows are described in root segments from which the centralstele had been removed (‘sleeves’). The water flowwas measured either as an exchange flow, using tracers, or asnet osmotic flow. Metabolic inhibitors inhibited both typesof flow. From the above measurements, the over-all hydraulicconductivity (L^p) and permeability coefficient () for waterwere calculated. By measuring the effect of water drag on theflow of sucrose and urea, reflection coefficients () were calculatedfor sucrose and urea. A model of water flow, which includescoupling to chemical reactions, is discussed.     

Modulation of water and urea transport in human red cells: Effects of pH and phloretin

Summary It has previously been shown by Macey and Farmer (Biochim. Biophys. Acta 211:104–106, 1970) that phloretin inhibits urea transport across the human red cell membrane yet has no effect on water transport. Jennings and Solomon (J. Gen. Physiol. 67:381–397, 1976) have shown that there are separate lipid and protein binding sites for phloretin on the red cell membrane. We have now found that urea transport is inhibited by phloretin binding to the lipids with aK ₁ of 25±8 m in reason-able agreement with theK _D of 54±5 m for lipid binding. These experiments show that lipid/protein interactions can alter the conformational state of the urea transport protein. Phloretin binding to the protein site also modulates red cell urea transport, but the modulation is opposed by the specific stilbene anion transport inhibitor, DIDS (4,4-diisothiocyano-2,2-stilbene disulfonate), suggesting a linkage between the urea transport protein and band 3. Neither the lipid nor the protein phloretin binding site has any significant effect on water transport. Water transport is, however, inhibited by up to 30% in a pH-dependent manner by DIDS binding, which suggests that the DIDS/band 3 complex can modulate water transport.     

Metabolic dependence of the offset of antidiuretic hormone-induced osmotic flow of water across the toad urinary bladder

Summary The elevated osmotic permeability to water induced by antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in the isolated urinary bladder of the toad is rapidly reversed by removal or washout of the ADH. This return to normal water permeability is delayed by the suppression of production of metabolic energy by any of three maneuvers: (i) low temperature (2°C); (ii) inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation (10mm azide or 0.5mm 2,4 dinitrophenol); or (iii) inhibition of glycolysis (10mm iodoacetate or 10mm 2-deoxyglucose). Moreover, exposure to cytochalasin B, 2.1×10^–5 m, either before or after initiation of the hormonal effect also delays the return of water permeability to normal following removal of ADH. When considered within constraints imposed by models which predict ADH's action on water permeability to be either via modulation of the fluidity of lipids in the membrane or via the figuration of proteins (pores) in the lipid membrane, these observations on the inhibition of the reversal of ADH stimulation of water flow are more consistent with the protein (pore) theory and place limitations on the mechanisms by which proteins in such pores can return to the resting or impermeable state.     

Diffusive water permeability in isolated kidney proximal tubular cells: Nature of the cellular water pathways

Summary The diffusive water permeability (P _d ) of the plasma membrane of proximal kidney tubule cells was measured using a¹H-NMR technique. The values obtained for the exchange time (T _ex) across the membrane were independent of the cytocrit and of the Mn²⁺ concentration (in the range 2.5 to 5mm). At 25°C the calculatedP _d value was (per cm² of outer surface area without taking into account membrane invaginations) 197±17 m/sec. This value equals 22.3±1.9 m/sec when the invaginations are taken into account. Cell exposure to 2.5mm parachloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid,pCMBS, (for 20 to 35 min) reducedP _d to 45% of its control value. Fivemm dithiothreitol, DTT, reverted this effect. The activation energy for the diffusive water flux was 5.2±1.0 kcal/mol under control conditions. It increased to 9.1±2.2 kcal/mol in the presence of 2.5mm pCMBS. Using our previous values for the osmotic water permeability (P _os) in proximal straight tubular cells theP _os/P _d ratio equals 18±1, under control conditions, and 3.2±0.3 in the presence ofpCMBS. These experimental results indicate the presence of pathways for water, formed by proteins, crossing these membranes, which are closed bypCMBS. Assuming laminar flow (within the pore), fromP _os/P _d of 13 to 18 an unreasonably large pore radius of 12 to 15 Å is calculated which would not hinder cell entry of known extracellular markers. Alternatively, for a single-file pore, 11 to 20 would be the number of water molecules which would be in tandem inside the pore. The water permeability remaining in the presence ofpCMBS indicates water permeation through the lipid bilayer. There are similarities between these results and those obtained in human red blood cells and in the apical cell membrane of the toad urinary bladder.     

Comparative effect of metals on antidiuretic hormone induced transport in toad bladder: specificity of mercuric inhibition of water channels

We previously reported that HgCl₂ inhibits water and urea flux in tissues fixed with glutaraldehyde after antidiuretic hormone (ADH) stimulation and suggested that the ADH-induced water channel may share characteristics of the red blood cell and proximal tubule water transport pathway. To determine the specificity of mercury's action, we examined the effect of numerous other metals. In tissues fixed after ADH stimulation, water flow and urea and sucrose permeabilities are maintained from mucosal bath pH 2.5 through pH 12. Several metals including Ba, Co, Fe, Sr and Zn did not alter flux. Al, Cd, La, Li, Pb and U inhibited urea permeability but not water flow. At pH 2.8, Cu inhibited water flow by 30% and urea permeability by 50%. At pH 4.9–7.4, Cu inhibited urea permeability but not water flow. At pH 3.0, Pt inhibited flow in ADH-pretreated tissues. The inhibitory effect was not present at pH>3.0. At pH<3.0, Au inhibited flow by 90% in tissues fixed after pretreatment with ADH but increased the permeability of tissues fixed in the absence of ADH. Ag inhibited flow by 70% but also increased sucrose, urea, and basal permeabilities. This suggests that Ag and Au disrupt epithelial integrity. These results indicate that at physiologic pH, the ADH-induced water channel is specifically blocked by Hg but not by other metals. This specificity may reflect the presence of a large number of sulfhydryl groups in the water channel.     

Common characteristics for Na+-dependent sugar transport in Caco-2 cells and human fetal colon

Summary The recent demonstration that the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 was susceptible to spontaneous enterocytic differentiation led us to consider the question as to whether Caco-2 cells would exhibit sodium-coupled transport of sugars. This problem was investigated using isotopic tracer flux measurements of the nonmetabolizable sugar analog -methylglucoside (AMG). AMG accumulation in confluent monolayers was inhibited to the same extent by sodium replacement, 200 m phlorizin, 1mm phloretin, and 25mm d-glucose, but was not inhibited further in the presence of both phlorizin and phloretin. Kinetic studies were compatible with the presence of both a simple diffusive process and a single, Na⁺-dependent, phlorizin-and phloretin-sensitive AMG transport system. These results also ruled out any interaction between AMG and a Na⁺-independent, phloretin-sensitive, facilitated diffusion pathway. The brush-border membrane localization of the Na⁺-dependent system was inferred from the observations that its functional differentiation was synchronous with the development of brush-border membrane enzyme activities and that phlorizin and phloretin addition 1 hr after initiating sugar transport produced immediate inhibition of AMG uptake as compared to ouabain. Finally, it was shown that brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from the human fetal colonic mucosa do possess a Na⁺-dependent transport pathway(s) ford-glucose which was inhibited by AMG and both phlorizin and phloretin. Caco-2 cells thus appear as a valuable cell culture model to study the mechanisms involved in the differentiation and regulation of intestinal transport functions.     

Obtaining functional membrane vesicles from Leuconostoc oenos to study l-malate transport mechanisms

Membrane vesicles from the malolactic bacterium Leuconostoc oenos were obtained by a modified version of the procedure of Kaback [Methods Enzymol 22:99–120 (1971)]. Protoplasts were produced at frequencies greater than 95% by a method entailing mutanolysis digestion and osmotic shock. Glycerol or polyethyleneglycol 600 was required as an osmotic stabilizer while the use of sucrose prevented closed vesicle formation during osmotic shock. The membrane vesicles retained their functional properties and accumulated l-malic acid in response to an ATPase-induced proton gradient across the membrane of ATP-loaded vesicles. l-Malate uptake was strongly inhibited by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, a specific inhibitor of membrane-bound ATPase. These data support the possibility of a pH-dependent transport of l-malate. Vesicles not loaded with ATP were slightly permeable to malic acid with an initial uptake rate (0.5 nmol·l^–1·s^–1) similar to the diffusion rate obtained previously in a L. oenos malate-transport-deficient strain. These results confirm two simultaneous uptake mechanisms in L. oenos, a permease-mediated transport and a passive diffusion for the anionic and the undissociated forms of l-malic acid respectively.     

Na and Cl transport across the isolated turtle colon: Parallel pathways for transmural ion movement

Summary Transmural fluxes of³H-mannitol and²²Na or³⁶Cl were measured simultaneously in portions of isolated turtle colon stripped of serosal musculature. The relationships between mannitol flux and the flux of Na or Cl are characteristic of simple diffusion and suggest that transmural mannitol flow is largely confined to a paracellular pathway where Na, Cl and mannitol move much as in free solution. The contribution of edge damage to the transmural mannitol flow appears to be minimal. Mucosal hyperosmolarity causes blisters in epithelial tight junctions and increases the diffusional permeability to Na and mannitol, suggesting that the rate-limiting barrier in the shunt path is the tight junction. If the total mucosa to serosa flux of Na is corrected for the portion traversing the shunt pathway it is apparent that changes in the short-circuit current are completely accounted for by the mucosa to serosal movement of Na through a cellular path. In addition, the serosa to mucosa flux of Na appears to be restricted to the shunt. These observations suggest that there is no appreciable backflux of Na through the active, cellular path. In the presence of 10^–4 m amiloride the short-circuit current is markedly reduced and the mucosa to serosa Na flux is restricted to the shunt, so that the net Na flux is abolished. The small amiloride-insensitive short-circuit current is consistent with HCO₃ secretion. Mucosa to serosa and serosa to mucosa fluxes of Cl appear to be largely restricted to the paracellular shunt path and there is no evidence for any net flow of Cl under short-circuit conditions. The total tissue conductance can be described as the sum of three components: a shunt conductance which is linearly related to the transmural mannitol flow, an active conductance which is linearly related to the short-circuit current and a small residual conductance. The shunt conductance is attributable to the diffusive movements of Na and Cl through the paracellular path. Variations in the active Na transport from tissue to tissue are largely attributable to variations in the apparent conductance of the active Na transport path. The driving force for active Na transport can be described as an apparent emf of approximately 130 mV. These results suggest that transmural mannitol flux provides a quantitative estimate of the ion permeability and electrical conductance of a paracellular shunt path across the isolated turtle colon and thereby facilitates the study of the transport characteristics and electrical properties of cellular paths for transepithelial solute movement.     

Osmotic water permeability of small intestinal brush-border membranes

Summary A stopped-flow nephelometric technique was used to examine osmotic water flow across small intestinal brush-border membranes. Brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) were prepared from rat small intestine by calcium precipitation. Scattered 500 nm light intensity at 90° to incident was a linear function of the number of vesicles in suspension, and of the reciprocal of the suspending medium osmolality. When BBMV were mixed with hyperosmotic mannitol solutions there was a rapid increase in the intensity of scattered light that could be fit to a single exponential function. The rate constant for vesicle shrinking varied with temperature and the size of the imposed osmotic gradient. At 25°C and an initial osmotic gradient of 50 mOsm, the rate constant was 1.43±0.044 sec^–1. An Arrhenius plot of the temperature dependence of vesicle shrinking showed a break at about 25°C with an activation energy of 9.75±1.04 kcal/mole from 11 to 25°C and 17.2±0.55 kcal/mole from 25 to 37°C. The pore-forming antibiotic gramicidin increased the rate of osmotically driven water efflux and decreased the activation energy of the process to 4.51±0.25 kcal/mole. Gramicidin also increased the sodium permeability of these membranes as measured by the rate of vesicle reswelling in hyperosmotic NaSCN medium. Gramicidin had no effect on mannitol permeability. Assuming spherical vesicles of 0.1 m radius, an osmotic permeability coefficient of 1.2×10^–3 cm/sec can be estimated for the native brush-border membranes at 25°C. These fesults are consistent with the solubility-diffusion model for water flow across small intestinal BBMV but are inconsistent with the existence there of large aqueous pores.     

Effect of temperature on nonelectrolyte permeation across the toad urinary bladder

Summary The permeability of the toad urinary bladder to 22 nonelectrolytes was obtained from measurements of radioactive tracer fluxes. The permeability coefficients (P's), after suitable corrections for unstirred layers, were proportional to the olive oil/water partition coefficients for the majority of the molecules (P K_oil ^1.3). In the absence of chain branching, inductive effects, and intramolecular hydrogen bonding effects, a hydroxyl group reducedP an average 500-fold and a methylene group increasedP an average four fold. Branched chain solutes were less permeable than their straight chain isomers, and small solutes, polarand nonpolar, exhibited higher rates of permeation than expected from the relationship betweenP and K_oil. (Over the molecular size range 18–175 cc/moleP (Molecular Volume)^–2.7.) The high rates of permeation of small molecules are consistent with diffusion through a highly organized lipid structure. Large polar solutes, e.g., sucrose, appear to pass across the epithelium via an extracellular shunt pathway. The apparent activation energies (E _a ) for the permeation of 16 select molecules were obtained from permeability measurements over the temperature range 2–32°C. Linear Arrhenius plots (i. e., logP/T ^–1) were obtained for all molecules after unstirred layer corrections. In the absence of these corrections phase transitions were seen for molecules with very highP's (P>300×10^–7 cm/sec), but these are simply due to diffusion limited permeation.E _a increased by 2.5–3.6 kcals/mole with the introduction of each additional methylene group into a molecule, and decreased by up to 9 kcals/mole for the addition of a hydroxyl group. Qualitatively similar results were obtained in preliminary studies of olive oil/water partition coefficients. Arrhenius plots of the toad bladder conductance over the temperature range 2–32°C yield apparent activation energies of 4–5 kcals/mole which is identical to that found previously for leaky epithelia.     

Effect of osmotic gradient on ADH-induced intramembranous particle aggregates in toad bladder

Summary Paired toad urinary bladders were prepared without or with an osmotic gradient (175 mosm) across them, stimulated for 2.5 (n=6), 5 (n=6), 30 (n=6) or 60 (n=6) min with ADH (20 mU/ml), and studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Water permeability at these times was assessed in additional bladders (n=6 for each case) after tissue fixation according to the technique of Eggena. After both 60 and 30 min of ADH stimulation, the presence of a gradient compared with the absence of one was associated with fewer aggregates (242±35vs. 382±14 ×235 m^–2 at 60 min,P<0.01; 279±36vs. 470±51 ×235 m^–2 at 30 min,P<0.01) and lower water permeability (8.4±1.1vs. 18.8±1.8g×min^–1×cm^–1 ×mosm ^–1 at60min,P<0.005; 9.2±1.0vs. 22.0±2.1 g ×min^–1×cm^–2×mosm ^–1 at 30 min,P<0.001). In addition, with a gradient both maximum water permeability and maximum aggregate frequency were reached nearly together; a similar correspondence occurred without a gradient. We conclude that in the presence of an osmotic gradient both the ADH-associated aggregates and the water permeability response to ADH are prevented from reaching the higher levels observed in bladders not exposed to a gradient.     

Chloride-activated water permeability in the frog corneal epithelium

We have previously reported that the isolated frog corneal epithelium (a Cl^–-secreting epithelium) has a large diffusional water permeability (P_dw 1.8×10^–4 cm/s). We now report that the presence of Cl^– in the apical-side bathing solution increases the diffusional water flux, J_dw (in both directions) by 63% from 11.3 to 18.4 l min^–1 · cm^–2 with 60 mm [Cl] exerting the maximum effect. The presence of Cl^– in the basolateral-side bathing solution had no effect on the water flux. In Cl^–-free solutions amphotericin B increased J_dw by 29% but only by 3% in Cl^–-rich apical-side bathing solution, suggesting that in Cl^–-rich apical side bathing solution, the apical barrier is no longer rate limiting. Apical Br^– (75 mm) also increased J_dw by 68%. The effect of Cl^– on J_dw was observed within 1 min after its addition to the apicalside bathing solution. HgCl₂ (0.5 mm) reduced the Cl^–-increased P_dw by 31%. The osmotic permeability (P_f) was also measured under an osmotic gradient yielding values of 0.34 and 2.88 (x 10^–3 cm/s) in Cl^–-free and Cl^–-rich apical-side bathing solutions respectively. It seems that apical Cl^–, or Cl^– secretion into the apical bath could activate normally present but inactive water channels. In the absence of Cl^–, water permeability of the apical membrane seems to be limited to the permeability of the lipid bilayer.This work was supported by National Eye Institute grants EY-00160 and EY-01867.     

Urea transport in the toad bladder; Coupling of urea flows

Summary Urea transport across amphibian membranes is influenced by interactions with the membrane, the solvent and other solutes. One case of solute interaction, that in which the two species are chemically identical, is investigated here. Because of the effects of hypertonic urea on permeability, the demonstration of interaction required consideration of the ratior of bidirectional tracer permeabilities. Mucosal-to-serosal (MS) and serosal-to-mucosal (MS) tracer urea fluxes were determined in paired toad urinary bladders, in the absence and presence of abundant urea. In the control state,r was 1.0. Addition of 0.3m urea toM increasedr, and toS decreasedr. These results indicate coupling of abundant and tracer urea flows (isotope interaction), probably occurring in specialized regions. The effects persisted after the addition of antidiuretic hormone, despite the opposing influence of osmotic water flow. Quantitatively different effects of mucosal and serosal hypertonicity, both with and without antidiuretic hormone, are explicable in terms of heterogeneous parallel and series permeability barriers.     

Nature of the water channels in the internodal cells ofNitellopsis

Summary The hydraulic resistance was measured on internodal cells ofNitellopsis obtusa using the method of transcellular osmosis. The hydraulic resistance was approximately 2.65 pm^–1 sec Pa, which corresponds to an osmotic permeability of 101.75 m sec^–1 (at 20°C).p-Chloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid (pCMPS) (0.1–1mm, 60 min) reversibly increases the hydraulic resistance in a concentration-dependent manner.pCMPS does not have any effect on the cellular osmotic pressure.pCMPS increases the activation energy of water movement from 16.84 to 32.64 kJ mol^–1, indicating that it inhibits water movement by modifying a low resistance pathway.pCMPS specifically increases the hydraulic resistance to exosmosis, but does not influence endosmosis. By contrast, nonyltriethylammonium (C₉), a blocking agent of K⁺ channels, increases the hydraulic resistance to endosmosis, but does not affect that to exosmosis. These data support the hypothesis that water moves through membrane proteins in characean internodal cells and further that the polarity of water movement may be a consequence of the differential gating of membrane proteins on the endo- and exoosmotic ends.     

Thermodynamics of all-or-none water channel closure in red cells

Summary The relation of osmotic to diffusional water permeability of human red blood cells was compared after treating the cells with different concentrations of PCMBS (p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate). After subtracting the PCMBS-insensitive permeability (presumably the water permeability of the lipid bilayer) from each, the ratio of osmotic to diffusional permeability remains invariant (11) as more and more water channels are inhibited by increasing concentrations of PCMBS. This result implies that the channels close in an all-or-none way and suggests a two-state model. Analysis of the dependence of osmotic water permeability on PCMBS concentration in terms of the model reveals a 11 stoichiometry and a dissociation constant for the PCMBS/membrane receptor complex of about 0.019mm at 37°C. Temperature dependence studies show that the reaction is entropically driven (H ^o25 kcal/mol, S ^o100 cal/moldeg) and suggest the involvement of hydrophobic interactions.     

Extracellular Ca2+ and the effect of antidiuretic hormone on the water permeability of the toad urinary bladder: An example of flow-induced alteration of flow

Summary The extracellular Ca²⁺ requirement for antidiuretic hormone (ADH) stimulation of water permeability in the toad urinary bladder has been critically examined. The polarity of the tissue was maintained with 1mm Ca²⁺ in the mucosal bathing medium and a serosal bath nominally free of Ca²⁺. Under these condition, ADH-induced osmotic water flow was inhibited by more than 60% while enhancement of the diffusional permeability to water was unaffected. Structural studies revealed that low serosal Ca²⁺ led to parallel alterations in epithelial architecture that amounted to a significant distorition of the osmotic water pathway. Prevention of these alterations, or restoration of normal cell-cell contact showed that the reduction of serosal Ca²⁺ did not restrict hormonal action,per se, but that it resulted in a weakening of cell-cell junctions such that intercellular space distension during water flow occurred to a point where the geometric conditions for maintenance of osmotic flow were compromised. We conclude that extracellular Ca²⁺ is not a requirement for the molecular aspects of ADH action but that, in its absence, a direct measurement of ADH-induced osmotic flow proves to be an inaccurate index of the hormone-generated changes in epithelial transport characteristics. Under certain conditions the ADH-effect on the tissue's hydraulic permeability is probably best assessed by measurement of the diffusional permability to water; although accuracy in this determination is difficult, it is not as strongly dependent on tissue geometry.     

The magnitude of nonelectrolyte selectivity in the gallbladder epithelium

Summary The permeability of the rabbit gallbladder epithelium to nonelectrolytes was determinted by radioactive tracer techniques and by a rapid osmotic procedure. As expected from empirical and theoretical considerations, there was a good agreement between the selectivity sequences obtained by the two methods for the sixteen compounds used in this study. Although the permeability coefficients are directly related to their bulk-phase partition coefficients, the gallbladder behaves as if the membranes controlling selectivatity are more hydrophilic than isobutanol. The relation between permeability coefficients and molecular weight also show that these membranes are less viscous than other single cell membranes. Small polar solutes exhibit lower apparent activiation energies for permeation than larger solutes, and this is taken as support for the view that small polar molecules permeate across this tissue via a polar pathway. Inutin and sucrose permeability coefficients are in the ratio of their free-solution diffusion coefficients, and the apparent surcose activation energy is indistinguishable from that reported for diffusion in aqueous solution. These latter observations may be explained by the presence of a few large pores in the epithelium.     

Membrane pathways for water and solutes in the toad bladder: II. Reflection coefficients of the water and solute channels

Summary Urea and water transport across the toad bladder can be separately activated by low concentrations of vasopressin or 8 Br-cAMP. Employing this method of selective activation, we have determined the reflection coefficient () of urea and other small molecules under circumstances in which the bladder was transporting urea or water. An osmotic method for the determination of was used, in which the ability of a given solute to retard water efflux from the bladder was compared to that of raffinose (=1.0) or water (=0). When urea transport was activated (low concentration of vasopressin), for urea and other solutes was low, (_urea,0.08–0.39;_acetamide, 0.55; _{ethylene glycol}, 0.60). When water transport was activated (0.1mm 8 Br-cAMP) _urea approached 1.0 _urea also approached 1.0 at high vasopressin concentrations. In a separate series of studies, _urea was determined in the presence of 2×10^–5 m KMnO₄ in the luminal bathing medium. Under these conditions, when urea transport is selectively blocked, _urea rose from a value of 0.12 to 0.89. Thus, permanganate appears to close the urea transport channel. These findings indicate that the luminal membrane channels for water and solutes differ significantly in their dimensions. The solute channels, limited in number, have relatively large radii. They carry a small fraction (approximately 10%) of total water flow. The water transport channels, on the other hand, have small radii, approximately the size of a water molecule, and exclude solutes as small as urea.     

Permeability of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. The effect of changed ionic environments on Ca2+ release

Summary Permeability properties and the effects of a changed membrane potential on Ca²⁺ release of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles of rabbit skeletal muscle were investigated by Millipore filtration. The relative permeability of sarcoplasmic reticulum to solutes determined under conditions of isotope exchange at equilibrium and/or under conditions of net flow of solute and water into the vesicles was as follows: sucrose, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺–, choline⁺, Tris⁺–+, Na⁺, Li⁺, Cl^–. Transient membrane potentials were induced by rapidly changing the ionic environment of the vesicles. Knowledge of the relative permeation rates of the above ions allowed prediction of the direction and extent of membrane polarization. Osmotic effects in the polarization measurements due to the rapid influx of solute and water into the vesicles were minimized by using media containing a fast (K⁺ or Cl^–) and a relatively slow (gluconate^– or choline⁺) penetrating ion.⁴⁵Ca²⁺ efflux from vesicles derived from different parts of the sarcoplasmic reticulum structure was not appreciably changed when vesicles were made more positive inside (choline chloride potassium gluconate) or more negative inside (potassium gluconate choline chloride). These studies suggest that part or all of the ion-induced changes in sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane permeability, previously interpreted to indicate depolarization-induced Ca²⁺ release, may be due to osmotic effects.     

Ion and nonelectrolyte permeability properties of channels formed in planar lipid bilayer membranes by the cytolytic toxin from the sea anemone,Stoichactis helianthus

Summary When present at nanomolar concentrations on one side of a lipid bilayer membrane,helianthus toxin (a protein of mol wt16,000) increases enormously membrane permeability to ions and nonelectrolytes by forming channels in the membrane. Membranes containing sphingomyelin are especially sensitive to toxin, but sphingomyelin isnot required for toxin action. Conductance is proportional to about the 4th power of toxin concentration. Single channel conductances are approximately 2×10^–10 mho in 0.1m KCl. Toxin-treated membranes are more permeable to K⁺ and Na⁺ than to Cl^– and SO ₄ ⁼ , but the degree of selectivity is pH dependent. Above pH 7 membranes are almost ideally selective for K⁺ with respect to SO ₄ ⁼ , whereas below pH 4 they are poorly selective. The channels show classical molecular sieving for urea, glycerol, glucose, and sucrose — implying a channel radius >5 Å. In symmetrical salt solutions above pH 7, theI–V characteristic of the channel shows significant rectification: below pH 5 there is very little rectfication. Because of the effects of pH on ion selectivity and channel conductance, and also because of the rectification in symmetrical salt solutions and the effect of pH on this, we conclude that there are titratable negative charge groups in the channel modulating ion permeability and selectivity. Since pH changes on the side containing the toxin are effective whereas pH changes on the opposite side are not, we place these negative charges near the mouth of the channel facing the solution to which toxin was added.