An in vitro-formed protamine-heparin complex as a model for a two-compartment store for biogenic amines.

The capacity of an in vitro-formed protamine-heparin complex (PHC) to store inorganic cations and biogenic amines was investigated. The PHC behaves like a two-compartment storage system. One compartment corresponds to the terminal free carboxyl groups of the protamine moiety and has the characteristics of a cation exchanger, with the ability to bind inorganic cations and biogenic amines in a reversible and rather unslective manner. The cations and biogenic amines therefore compete for and displace each other from the common ionic binding sites. The binding sites in the other compartment, corresponding mainly to the carboxyl groups of the heparin moiety, are only unmasked at high ionic concentrations and show a specific affinity for biogenic amines. The storage of amines in this compartment of the PHC is reversible but is dependent not only on simple ionic binding but evidently also on other attractive forces, such as dipole and hydrogen bonding.