The effect of pyrophosphate and diphosphonates on calcium transport in red cells.

The effect of 0.5 mM pyrophosphate (PPi), disodium ethane-4-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate (EHDP) and disodium dichloromethane diphosphonate (Cl2MDP) on the ATP-dependent Ca2+ extrusion from the human red cell ghosts was studied. PPi and Cl2MDP had no effect, when introduced into the cells or added outside to the medium. EHDP slightly increased the calcium concentration in the released cells and slightly decreased the rate constant of the calcium transport, having opposite effects when it was inside or outside the cells. PPi and the 2 diphosphonates were not found to move easily across the red cell membrane.