Comparative study of effects of magnesium and taurine on electrical parameters of natural and artificial membranes. VII. Effects on cellular and paracellular ionic transfer through isolated human amnion.

The comparative effects of 2 mM magnesium and taurine on various components of the human transamniotic conductance, Gt, were observed. The use of both microelectrodes and metabolic inhibitors enables 10 components of Gt to be distinguished: six cellular components (Na-K ATPase, Na-H antiport, Na-K-2Cl cotransport and Na, K, Cl channels), one coupling component, and three paracellular components (Na, K, Cl). Mg increased all components of Gt while taurine only increased five of them (Na and K channels, coupling, Na and K paracellular conductance). A potentiometric effect of taurine on Mg2+ modified membrane, obtained on paracellular components, was not measured on cellular components. There was only a vicarious effect between Mg and taurine on the non-enzymatic cellular and paracellular transfer of Na and K.