Active Calcium and Strontium Transport in Human Erythrocyte Ghosts

Both calcium and strontium could be transported actively from erythrocytes if adenosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, or inosine triphosphate were included in the hypotonic medium used to infuse calcium or strontium into the cells. Acetyl phosphate and pyrophosphate were not energy sources for the transport of either ion. Neither calcium nor strontium transport was accompanied by magnesium exchange, and the addition of Mg⁺⁺ to the reaction medium in a final concentration of 3.0 mmoles/liter did not promote the transport of either ion. In the absence of nucleotide triphosphates, the addition of 1.5 mmoles/liter of Sr⁺⁺ to the reaction solution did not bring about active calcium transport and similarly 1.5 mmoles/liter of Ca⁺⁺ did not bring about active strontium transport. The inclusion of 1.5 mmoles/liter of Ca⁺⁺ or Sr⁺⁺ in the reaction medium did not interfere with the transport of the other ion when the erythrocytes were infused with adenosine triphosphate.     

The Uptake of Calcium and Strontium by Plants from Soils and Nutrient Solutions

Plants have been grown in soils and nutrient solutions containingdifferent Ca/Sr ratios to find out whether there is any biologicaldiscrimination between calcium and strontium. When tomato plants are grown in nutrient solutions containingmolar Ca/Sr ratios from 2/1 to 4,000/1, the shoots do not distinguishbetween the elements, but the roots absorb strontium preferentiallyat low concentrations of this element. Since ion exchange resins show the same phenomenon, though toa less marked extent, this is believed to be a physico-chemicalrather than a biological effect. No chemical reagent has been found which can extract calciumand strontium from soils in the same ratio as plants. Ammoniumacetate extraction may give misleading results for the plant-availableCa/Sr ratios in the soil. Data for the Ca/Sr ratios in barleyand lucerne grown on soils containing ratios from 3/1 to 650/1emphasize this point.     

Calcium Oxalate Crystal Formation and Growth in Two Legume Species as Altered by Strontium

Young plants of Phaseolus and Canavalia were grown in nutrient solutions where calcium had been partially or totally replaced by either strontium or sodium. The deleterious effect of this replacement on growth and development was greater with strontium than with sodium. As the calcium content of the nutrient solution was decreased fewer calcium oxalate crystals were formed in leaf tissues. There were fewer crystals formed when calcium was replaced by strontium than by sodium. Changes in solubility characteristics of the crystals indicated that they had incorporated strontium.     

Influence of Nitrogen Supply on Uptake and Translocation of Strontium and Calcium in Wheat Seedlings

Supplying nitrate to N-depleted wheat seedlings (Triticum vulgare cv. Knox) stimulated the uptake and translocation of both ⁸³Sr and ⁴⁵Ca. Since the increase in ⁴⁵Ca accumulation was greater, the ⁸⁵Sr/⁴⁵Ca ratio in the plant tissue was decreased. Nitrate had relatively little influence on the amount of the divalent cations and ⁸⁵Sr/⁴⁵Ca ratio in the exchangeable fraction on the root surfaces, whereas it greatly increased the uptake into root tissue and translocation to shoots. The increase in percent transported to shoots occurred largely in the period of most rapid nitrate uptake. A split root study indicated that nitrate was ineffective when it was supplied to a different portion of the root system than that exposed to ⁸⁵Sr and ⁴⁵Ca. Nevertheless, ammonium and urea also increased the translocation of the two cations, indicating that the effects of nitrate could not entirely be ascribed to a direct effect of the nitrate anion.     

The Effect of Sodium Alginate on the Absorption of Strontium and Calcium in Human Subjects

The effect of sodium alginate on the gastrointestinal absorption of the tracers strontium-85 and calcium-47 was investigated in 19 human subjects. The tracers were administered orally with 100 mg. of a calcium carrier—calcium chloride. At the same time, sodium alginate was given in a commercial jelly. The sevenday per cent retentions of tracers were measured with a whole-body counter. After one month, the experiments were repeated without alginate so that each subject acted as his own control. Fifteen volunteers were given 1.5 g. of alginate, two were given 3.0 g. and two 0.3 g. 1.5 g. of alginate reduced the absorption of strontium by a factor of two with no significant effect on calcium absorption. The smaller dose of alginate (0.3 g.) appeared to have no effect on strontium or calcium absorption and the larger dose (3.0 g.) had no greater effect than the 1.5 g. dose.     

Zur Resorption von Calcium und Strontium im Dünndarm von Ratte,Maus und Meerschweinchen

The possible modes of permeation of Ca and Sr through the intestinal epithelium are discussed. The problems of the diffusion and the active transport were studied with prepared bags of duodenum, jejunum and ileum of normal but still immature animals (both sexes) in the Warburg apparatus, at body temperature and in some cases at 4° C. Active transport occurs under oxygen, whereas under nitrogen and blockade of the metabolism with cyanide, only diffusion takes place. Isotopes (⁴⁵Ca and⁹⁰Sr) of high specific activity were used. The diffusion of both elements shows the same ratio at low and at body temperature, with an higher intensity of course at 38° C. This ratio (Ca/Sr) is approximately 3 in the duodenum and in the proximal parts of the jejunum; in the distal parts of the intestine, it is approximately 2 or lower. During active transport there is no alteration in these ratios within the serosa in the tissue. Therefore the selection between the two elements takes place immediatly at the entrance in the mucosa. There are only small and negligible differences between rats and mice. In the intestine of guinea pigs, however, a remarkably higher permeation of Ca and lower retention in the tissue, and consequently higher quotients for Ca/Sr, can be observed. The application of Ca-salts (gluconate, lactate) enhances the permeation of Ca and diminishes the entrance of Sr in all animals. The fact that this alteration takes place during conditions of diffusion as well as of active transport supports the assumption that the selection is preferably dependent upon the differences of the physical state of the two ions (atom volume, hydratation of the ions) rather than on their chemical properties.     

Effects of Calcium, Strontium, and Barium Ions on Phosphorylation of Hippocampal Proteins In Vitro

Abstract: Calcium ion alone or in the presence of added calmodulin stimulated in vitro transfer of ³²P from [γ³²P]ATP into several proteins of mitochondrial and synaptosomal particulate fractions from rat brain. Strontium ion was capable of substituting for calcium ion in this stimulation, but barium ion lacked this capacity. These results bring into question the hypothesis that calciumdependent protein phosphorylation of synaptic proteins is intrinsic to neurotransmitter release during neurotransmission, but they do not rule out that possibility.     

Untersuchungen an synthetischem Hydroxylapatit im Hinblick auf den Knochenstoffwechsel von Calcium,Strontium, Barium und Radium

Zusammenfassung Das System Hydroxylapatitkristallite in einer geeigneten Lösung stellt in gewisser Hinsicht einin vitro-Analogon für den Knochenstoffwechsel der Erdalkalien dar. Es wird über Versuche berichtet, Unterschiede im Verhalten von Ca, Sr, Ba und Ra in synthetischem Hydroxylapatit festzustellen. Dazu wurden die Diskriminierungsfaktoren von Ca gegen Sr, Ba und Ra bei der Herstellung der Kristallite gemessen. Weiterhin wurde der Austausch der Erdalkalien zwischen vorgefertigten Kristalliten und einer geeigneten Lösung über eine Zeitdauer von 1000 h verfolgt. Die Diskriminierungsfaktoren nehmen mit zunehmender Ionengröße in der Reihenfolge Sr, Ba, Ra zu. Während Sr, Ca-Ionen auch im Inneren der Kristallite ersetzen kann, sind Ba und Ra fast ausschließlich auf die Oberfläche beschränkt. Für die Diskriminierung des Gesamtknochens muß angenommen werden, daß zusätzliche Prozesse eine Rolle spielen.

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Studies on synthetic hydroxyapatite crystals with regard to metabolism of calcium, strontium, barium and radium, in boneI. The discrimination against calcium

Summary The system hydroxyapatite crystals in a proper solution, in a way, represents anin vitro analogue to metabolism of alkaline earths in bone. Experiments are described to find differencies in the behaviour of Ca, Sr, Ba and Ra to synthetic hydroxyapatite crystals. Synthesizing the crystals the discrimination ratios of Ca to Sr, Ba and Ra were measured. Furthermore the exchange of alkaline earths between preformed crystals and a proper solution was studied over a period of 1000 h. The discrimination ratios grow larger with increasing ionic radius in the order Sr, Ba, Ra. While Sr can replace Ca ions also in the interior of the crystals, Ba and Ra are limited to crystal surface. With respect to the discrimination of bone it must be concluded that further processes participate.

     

An Experimental Study of the Effect of Strontium Pre-Treatment on Calcium Release From Carious and Non-Carious Teeth

The administration of strontium salt is known to be beneficial for bones in preventing calcium loss and osteoporosis. Therefore, we decided to study if strontium treatment affects calcium release from teeth in vitro. Extracted carious as well as non-carious teeth were washed, cleaned, and dried. These were individually immersed in 25 ml of 1% lactic acid at 37oC for 24 h, and the amount of calcium released was measured. The rate of calcium release from these teeth was again determined after their exposure to M/4 strontium chloride for 1 month at 37°C. It was found that: (1) the rate of calcium release from non-carious teeth was significantly higher than carious teeth, possibly because there was more calcium present, (2) the rate of calcium release was almost halved after strontium treatment in both groups of teeth, (3) the Vicker’s microhardness of non-carious teeth was higher than those of carious teeth, and (4) strontium treatment did not affect hardness. Strontium treatment may be beneficial in reducing loss of calcium from intact teeth—non-carious as well as carious—and this beneficial effect of strontium is unrelated to change in teeth hardness.     

Relation Between Calcium and Strontium Transport Rates as Determined Simultaneously in the Primary Root of Zea mays

Root segments of Zea mays 55 mm long, were exposed to nutrient containing ⁸⁵Sr and ⁴⁵Ca tracers. Translocation rather than uptake was measured, using a newly-designed glass compartmentation system and validated tracer analytic model. Ca transport from solutions containing between 0.25 and 5.0 mm Ca was only slightly affected by concentration, but translocation from 0.25 to 0.05 mm solutions was markedly reduced. Maximum transport of strontium from nutrient containing 0.05 mm Ca was twice that from 2.5 mm Ca, and also twice the maximum calcium transported. Thus, under the condition simulating calcium depletion, i.e., 0.05 mm Ca, greater amounts of strontium were transported. In these cases the solutions also contained stable strontium at concentrations between 0.25 and 5.0 mm. In simultaneous determinations, the ratio of Sr to Ca moved was exactly equal to the ratio of their concentrations in nutrient solution, and there was no evidence of discrimination. Dinitrophenol reduced transport of Sr and Ca to an equivalent extent, amounting to between 2 and 9% of non-treated control levels.     

Studies on the Inhibition of Intestinal Absorption of Radioactive Strontium: V. The Effect of Administration of Calcium Alginate

A method of selective suppression of absorption of radioactive strontium from ingested food material is described which allows calcium to be available to the body. In the present study the effects of administering calcium alginate were determined. Studies on the relative binding of Ca and Sr by calcium alginate in vivo are also important to the investigation of calcium-strontium exchange.Samples of calcium alginate were obtained commercially or prepared from sodium salts and the binding properties with Ca⁴⁵ and Sr⁸⁹ were tested in vivo. There was a free exchange of radioactive calcium as well as of strontium with bound inactive calcium. The amount of Ca⁴⁵ retained in the gut by calcium alginate is proportionally less than Sr⁸⁹, so that the ratio Sr⁸⁹/Ca⁴⁵ in the bone is consistently and significantly lower in treated rats. Calcium alginate acts differently from other calcium salts, although in a manner similar to sodium alginate.     

Retention and Passage of Calcium and Strontium in Stems of Phaseolus vulgaris as Mediated by Xylem Stream Flow Rate and Dinitrophenol

The influence of the stem on delivery of Ca Sr to the plant top was studied by noting the extent to which the stem interfered with through passage of these elements. Tagged Ca Sr solutions were forced through bean stem sections, and solute which completed passage to the exudate was considered indicative of the nutrition normally available to the plant top. Tests were conducted over two widely different xylem stream flow rates, and with or without the addition of dinitrophenol to the source solution. Approximately identical amounts of cation were introduced into the stem for all test situations. In all cases, the stem retained the bulk of introduced cation and allowed only a fraction (ca 25 percent) to complete passage to the exudate. Within this pattern, less stem retention and greater through passage occurred at the high (versus the low) stream flow rate, and also where dinitrophenol was present in the source solution. In all cases, the stem preferentially retained Sr over Ca so that the exudate was relatively dilute in Sr. Such discrimination was less at the high (versus the low) stream flow rate. It was enhanced by the presence of dinitrophenol.     

In Vivo Effect of Uncoupling Agents on the Incorporation of Calcium and Strontium into Mitochondria and Other Subcellular Fractions of Rat Liver

After injection of ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ or ⁸⁹Sr⁺⁺ into rats, the largest part of the radioactivity in the liver cell is associated with the subcellular structures, only negligible amounts of it being found in the soluble hyaloplasm. 50 % or more of the ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ and ⁸⁹Sr⁺⁺ in the liver cell is recovered in the mitochondrial fraction. The specific activity of Ca⁺⁺ after injection of ⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ is far greater in mitochondria than in microsomes. Pretreatment of the rats with uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation markedly decreases the amount of radioactivity associated with the mitochondrial fraction. The amount of radioactivity recovered in the microsomes and in the final supernatant on the contrary increases. These effects are present only when mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is completely uncoupled. The Ca⁺⁺ content of mitochondria from the livers of rats pretreated with uncouplers is sharply decreased with respect to the controls. It is concluded that in the liver cells of the intact animal energy-linked movements of Ca⁺⁺ and Sr⁺⁺ take place in mitochondria.     

Strontium/Calcium ratio, carbon and oxygen stable isotopes in coccolith carbonate from different grain-size fractions in South Atlantic surface sediments

In this study, the Strontium/Calcium (Sr/Ca) ratio, and the carbon and oxygen isotopic compositions of coccoliths are investigated in three different grain-size fractions (<20 μm, 15-5 μm, <5 μm) of 17 surface sediment samples from the Equatorial and South Atlantic. The results are compared to environmental parameters in order to assess the factors controlling the observed coccolith geochemical patterns. Isotopic and geochemical composition of coccolith species in surface sediment samples from the South Atlantic greatly varies according to the different grain-size fractions. However, even if the absolute values show a great offset, the general trends are comparable. The δ¹⁸O values show a decreasing trend with increasing temperature. The δ¹³C and Sr/Ca ratio are mainly influenced by productivity of coccolithophores, which is in turn controlled by different factors, such as temperature, nutrient supply and productivity of other phytoplankton groups. Dilution and dissolution are negligible factors in these open marine samples. Therefore, coccolith abundance in bulk sediment is the best approximation for productivity of coccolithophores. The various coccolith species fractionate Sr differently, as is best shown by the 5-15 μm fraction where three species (Calcidiscus leptoporus, Helicosphaera carteri and Coccolithus pelagicus) predominantly occur.     

Etude de L'influence de la Concentration Saline et du Rapport Sodium/Calcium du Milieu Nutritif sur la Sensibilite de la Tomate a la Fusariose Vasculaire

Resume Les auteurs étudient chez la tomate l'influence de la concentration saline et du rapport Na/Ca du milieu nutritif sur le développement de la fusariose vasculaire. A concentration saline élevée (50,4 meq/l), les plantes fanent tardivement mais brusquement et sans jaunissement préalable. La colonisation des tiges parF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici est tardive et faible; cependant à rapport Na/Ca élevé, elle augmente rapidement. Il n'y a pas d'acides aminés détectables dans la sève des plantes de 14 jours mais la teneur en N inorganique est toujours supérieure à 2.8 μg/ml. A concentration saline faible (2.5 meq/l), les feuilles jaunissent progressivement et précocement. La colonisation du xylème est précoce et dense; l'influence du rapport Na/Ca est faible. Les acides aminés sont présents dans la sève en quantités relativement importantes et d'autant plus que le Na/Ca cro?t. Ces résultats de l'évolution de la maladie sont discutés en relation avec la composition chimique des tissus et de la sève et la localisation histochimique du Na et du Ca.

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Summary The influence of the salt concentration and of the Na/Ca ratio of the nutrient solution on the development of the fusarial wilt of the tomato has been studied. At high salt concentration (50.4 meq/l), plants wilt lately but suddenly without yellowing. The stem colonization byF. oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici is poor and late; however at higher Na/Ca it increases rapidly. There are no amino acids detectable in xylem sap of 14 days old plants but the content of inorganic N is always higher than 2.8μg/ml. At low salt concentration (2.5 meq/l), the yellowing of the leaves begins early and progressively. The xylem colonization by the parasite is dense and precocious; the influence of the Na/Ca is weak. The amino-acids are relatively abundant in xylem sap and their content increases with the increase of the Na/Ca ratio. These results of the development of the disease are discussed in relation to the chemical composition of the tissues and the xylem sap and the histochemical localization of Na and Ca.

     

Strontium ranelate in post-menopausal osteoporosis

Strontium ranelate is one of the first-line agents with proven anti-fracture activity used in the therapy of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Its mechanism of action makes it, however, different from other drugs, since it simultaneously stimulates two reverse processes: bone formation and bone resorption. The action of the agent depends on various mechanisms, including the activation of calcium receptors, localised on osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and on the influence on the OPG/RANKL system. The drug effectively prevents spinal, hip and extravertebral fractures. The agent's anti-fracture efficacy within the spine does not depend on the patient's age, or on base BMD values, or on the concentration of bone metabolism markers. As to the anti-fracture efficacy in the hip, it concerns women with an increased bone fracture risk. Strontium ranelate increases bone mineral density within the lumbar spine and the hip, decreases the concentrations of bone resorption markers, and increases the concentrations of bone formation markers. The drug is administered in a daily 2.0 g oral dose. This paper presents indications to therapy with strontium ranelate, specifying also its side effects and contraindications. We compare the anti-fracture efficacy of strontium ranelate to the efficacy of other agents of proven anti-fracture activity, based on published clinical studies.