| Abstract: | Inside-out vesicles prepared with basolateral plasma membranes from rat kidney proximal tubular cells can accumulate Na+ actively in two ways. Mode 1, which is K+-independent, is ouabain-insensitive and is inhibited by furosemide and mode 2, which is K+-dependent, is inhibited by ouabain and is insensitive to furosemide. The presence of Mg2+ and ATP in the incubation medium is essential for both modes of Na+ uptake to proceed and in both cases, the nucleotide is hydrolyzed during the process. These results are consistent with the idea of the existence, in these membranes, of two Na+ pumps: one, which can work in the absence of K+ (Na+ pump) and another, which needs K+ to work (Na+ + K+ pump). |
