A theory of cell hydration governed by adsorption of water on cell proteins rather than by osmotic pressure |
| |
Authors: | Freeman W Cope |
| |
Institution: | (1) Biochemistry Division, Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, U.S. Naval Air Development Center, Johnsville, Warminster, Pa |
| |
Abstract: | It is postulated that cell hydration is governed by adsorption of water on cell proteins in accord with the Bradley adsorption
isotherm, and that the action of a solute in the surrounding solution is to lower the vapor pressure of the solution so that
cell water adsorption is decreased by moving down the Bradley isotherm. From these concepts, it is derived that cell volume
(V) should be related to solute concentration (x) by the equationV=−E log10
x+F whereE andF are constants which are independent of type of solute. For a non-adsorbed solute this agrees well with experimental data.
For solutes which are adsorbed by cell proteins, a correction in the above equation may be necessary at higher solute concentrations,
which is shown to be compatible with various experimental data. The types of experiments which are generally used to support
the osmotic pressure theory of cell hydration agree equally well with the adsorption theory. The virtue of the adsorption
theory is that, unlike the osmotic pressure theory of cell swelling, it is compatible with permeability of the cell membrane
to solutes, which has been experimentally observed for various solutes.
The opinions and conclusions contained in this report are those of the author. They are not to be construed as necessarily
reflecting the views or the endorsement of the Navy Department. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|