[Transmembrane effects in the sodium pump system. I. The effect of external potassium and rubidium on the dependence of sodium efflux on sodium concentration in the frog muscle].

The dependence of sodium efflux on intracellular sodium content with various potassium and rubidium concentration in the external medium has been studied on frog sartorious muscle. In potassium-sodium-free magnesium medium ouabain-sensitive sodium efflux was shown to be proportional to internal sodium concentration. In the presence of external ribidium (0.5--5.0 mM) the efflux concentration relations are non-linear, being closely described by assuming that 3 Na+ are transported per pump cycle. In sodium loaded muscles the efflux concentration curve was found to be dependent on the external rubidium concentration, becoming linear instead of S-shaped with the decrease in internal rubidium concentration from 5.0--2.5 to 1.0--0.5 mM. The apparent affinity constant for the internal sodium pump site increased with increasing the external rubidium (potassium) concentration. The data obtained may contribute to the kinetic evaluation of the type of Na-K pump mechanism, being more consistent with simultaneous model of pump operation.