Sugar transport asymmetry in human erythrocytes--the effect of bulk haemoglobin removal and the addition of methylxanthines

1. The glucose transport asymmetry of intact human red cells has been shown to be retained in pink erythrocyte ghosts (a preparation of membranes in which 95% of the red cell haemoglobin has been removed). 2. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine inhibits net glucose efflux in intact cells and ghosts and also net influx in cells. 5mM theophylline inhibits net efflux in ghosts. The inhibition type is mixed. The major effect is a decrease in the V value for net flux but a small increase in Km also occurs. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine binds the transport system from the external solution only. 3. Exchange flux of glucose shows virtually no inhibition by 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. 4. The results are discussed in terms of models for sugar transport. A model consistent with the observed pattern of inhibition would be one in which transport is rate-limited by the membrane and in which net and exchange flux occur via separate transport cycles.