A calcium-activated potassium channel present in foetal red cells of the sheep but absent from reticulocytes and mature red cells

Red cells of adult sheep, like those of other ruminants, lack the calcium-activated potassium channel which is present in the membrane of human red cells. Since the activities of other transport systems in the sheep red cell are known to decrease during maturation of the cell or during development of the animal it was investigated whether the K⁺ channel is present in red cells from younger animals or in reticulocytes. Using the divalent cation ionophore A23187 to increase the intracellular Ca of intact cells, it was found that the K⁺-selective channel is present in foetal red cells from the foetus or newborn animal but not in reticulocytes. The presence of the channel showed no dependence on the K⁺ genotype of the sheep and was not associated with either “high K⁺”-or “low K⁺”-type Na⁺ pump. No Ca²⁺-dependent change in K⁺ permeability was found in red cells from either newborn or adult donkeys suggesting that its presence in the red cells of the foetus may not be general. The role of the K⁺ channel in the mammalian red cell and the relationship between the K⁺ channel and the Na⁺ pump are discussed.