Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1974 Sep;142(3):629–636. doi: 10.1042/bj1420629

The influx of calcium ions into human erythrocytes during cold storage. The influences of extracellular pH, intracellular adenosine triphosphate and efflux of univalent cations

Barbara Mouat 1, Cyril Long 1
PMCID: PMC1168328  PMID: 4461037

Abstract

1. When human erythrocytes are stored at 3°C for several days as a suspension in iso-osmotic sucrose or KCl, containing CaCl2, the rates of cellular ATP degradation are similar. 2. During cold storage of erythrocytes in sucrose–CaCl2 medium, Ca2+ influx and univalent-cation efflux occur, the pH value of the suspending medium rises and the intracellular pH falls. These pH changes correlate reasonably well with alterations in the membrane potential calculated from Cl− distribution. 3. The presence of Ca2+ in the medium does not increase the rate of univalent-cation efflux from the cells. 4. When the pH of the medium is raised by addition of buffers, the rates of both Ca2+ influx and univalent-cation efflux increase. 5. Replacement of sucrose by KCl as the main osmotic component of the medium completely suppresses Ca2+ influx and univalent-cation efflux, although the pH of the KCl medium is higher than that of the sucrose medium. 6. When sucrose is replaced by choline chloride, Ca2+ influx and univalent-cation efflux still occur, and the pH of the medium is similar to that found in iso-osmotic KCl. 7. When valinomycin, Pb2+ or Cd2+ are added to the iso-osmotic sucrose medium, the rate of efflux of univalent cations increases as also does the influx of Ca2+. 8. From these and other observations, it was concluded that it is univalent-cation efflux rather than ATP depletion or elevated extracellular pH which is the prerequisite for Ca2+ influx during cold storage.

Full text

PDF
629

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BOLINGBROKE V., MAIZELS M. Calcium ions and the permeability of human erythrocytes. J Physiol. 1959 Dec;149:563–585. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1959.sp006361. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Davson H. Studies on the permeability of erythrocytes: The effect of reducing the salt content of the medium surrounding the cell. Biochem J. 1939 Mar;33(3):389–401. doi: 10.1042/bj0330389. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Harrison D. G., Long C. The calcium content of human erythrocytes. J Physiol. 1968 Dec;199(2):367–381. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008658. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Henderson P. J., McGivan J. D., Chappell J. B. The action of certain antibiotics on mitochondrial, erythrocyte and artificial phospholipid membranes. The role of induced proton permeability. Biochem J. 1969 Feb;111(4):521–535. doi: 10.1042/bj1110521. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. JOYCE C. R., MOORE H., WEATHERALL M. The effects of lead, mercury, and gold on the potassium turnover of rabbit blood cells. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1954 Dec;9(4):463–470. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1954.tb00862.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Lew V. L. On the ATP dependence of the Ca 2+ -induced increase in K + permeability observed in human red cells. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1971 Jun 1;233(3):827–830. doi: 10.1016/0005-2736(71)90185-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Long C., Mouat B. The binding of calcium ions by erythrocytes and 'ghost' -cell membranes. Biochem J. 1971 Aug;123(5):829–836. doi: 10.1042/bj1230829. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Long C., Mouat B. The influx of calcium ions into human erythrocytes during cold storage. Biochem J. 1973 Mar;132(3):559–570. doi: 10.1042/bj1320559. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Maizels M. The permeation of erythrocytes by cations. Biochem J. 1935 Aug;29(8):1970–1982. doi: 10.1042/bj0291970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Romero P. J., Whittam R. The control by internal calcium of membrane permeability to sodium and potassium. J Physiol. 1971 May;214(3):481–507. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009445. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Schatzmann H. J., Vincenzi F. F. Calcium movements across the membrane of human red cells. J Physiol. 1969 Apr;201(2):369–395. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008761. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Tosteson D. C., Cook P., Andreoli T., Tieffenberg M. The effect of valinomycin on potassium and sodium permeability of HK and LK sheep red cells. J Gen Physiol. 1967 Dec;50(11):2513–2525. doi: 10.1085/jgp.50.11.2513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Whittam R. Control of membrane permeability to potassium in red blood cells. Nature. 1968 Aug 10;219(5154):610–610. doi: 10.1038/219610a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES