Ionophore-mediated cation translocation in artificial systems. II. - X537A-mediated calcium and sodium translocation.

The ionophore X537A translocates both calcium and sodium from an aqueous into an organic solution. At non saturating cationic concentrations, each atom of calcium seems to react with two molecules of ionophore, whereas each atom of sodium apparently reacts with only one molecule of X537A. The phenomena of sodium and calcium translocation, respectively, are competitive and are both inhibited when the pH of the aqueous phase is decreased.