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. 1988 Oct;85(20):7602–7606. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.20.7602

pH homeostasis in Leishmania donovani amastigotes and promastigotes.

T A Glaser 1, J E Baatz 1, G P Kreishman 1, A J Mukkada 1
PMCID: PMC282240  PMID: 3174653

Abstract

Intracellular pH and pH gradients of Leishmania donovani amastigotes and promastigotes were determined over a broad range of extracellular pH values. Intracellular pH was determined by 31P NMR and by equilibrium distribution studies with 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione or methylamine. Promastigotes maintain intracellular pH values close to neutral between extracellular pH values of 5.0 and 7.4. Amastigote intracellular pH is maintained close to neutral at external pH values as low as 4.0. Both life stages maintain a positive pH gradient to an extracellular pH of 7.4, which is important for active transport of substrates. Treatment with ionophores, such as nigericin and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and the ATPase inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, reduced pH gradients in both stages. Maintenance of intracellular pH in the physiologic range is especially relevant for the survival of the amastigote in its acidic in vivo environment.

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Selected References

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

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