Spurlock G, Morgan K, Mir M A
J Membr Biol. 1986;92(2):163-70. doi: 10.1007/BF01870705.
The relationships between intracellular sodium content, sodium transport and serum effects were investigated in human fibroblasts. In the cells with low intracellular sodium (Na+iL; 0.04 mumol sodium/mg protein), serum stimulated the sodium-potassium pump as measured by ouabain-sensitive sodium efflux and rubidium influx and also exerted a transstimulation of ouabain-insensitive sodium transport resulting in net influx. In cells with high intracellular sodium (Na+iH; 0.42 mumol sodium/mg protein) all aspects of sodium transport were increased compared to Na+iL cells. In these cells serum caused no change in sodium-potassium pump activity but significantly increased the ouabain-insensitive sodium fluxes resulting in net efflux. In Na+iL cells, serum promoted net sodium influx through an amiloride-sensitive pathway that was undetectable in the basal state. In Na+iH cells the serum-stimulated net efflux was amiloride sensitive but this pathway also contributed to a major portion of sodium transport in the basal state. This study demonstrated that sodium-potassium pump activity is directed by the supply of internal sodium and that serum can increase this supply by promoting net influx, and that serum-induced sodium transport can be modified by intracellular sodium content.
