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PMID: 6779011 Published · ppublish English Comparative Study Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Measurement of membrane potentials (psi) of erythrocytes and white adipocytes by the accumulation of triphenylmethylphosphonium cation.

The Journal of membrane biology ·Vol. 56 ·No. 3 ·1980-10-31 ·Pages 191-201

Cheng K, Haspel HC, Vallano ML, Osotimehin B, Sonenberg M

Abstract

The accumulation of the lipophilic cation, triphenylmethylphosphonium, has been employed to determine the resting membrane potential in human erythrocytes, turkey erythrocytes, and rat white adipocytes. The triphenylmethylphosphonium cation equilibrates rapidly in human erythrocytes in the presence of low concentrations of the hydrophobic anion, tetraphenylborate. Tetraphenylborate does not accelerate the uptake of triphenylmethylphosphonium ion by adipocytes. The cell associated vs. extracellular distribution of the triphenylmethylphosphonium ion is proportional to changes in membrane potential. The distribution of this ion reflects the membrane potential determining concentration of the ion with dominant permeability in a "Nernst" fashion. The resting membrane potentials for the human erythrocyte, turkey erythrocyte, and rat white adipocyte were found to be -8.4 +/- 1.3, -16.8 +/- 1.1, and -58.3 +/- 5.0 mV, respectively, values which compare favorably with values obtained by other methods. In addition, changes in membrane potential can be assessed by following triphenylmethylphosphonium uptake without determining the intracellular water space. The method has been successfully applied to a study of hormonally induced changes in membrane potential of rat white adipocytes.

MeSH Terms
Adipose Tissue/cytology,physiology Animals Calcimycin/pharmacology Cations, Monovalent Cell Membrane/metabolism Cell Membrane Permeability/drug effects Erythrocytes/physiology Humans Kinetics Male Mathematics Membrane Potentials Onium Compounds/metabolism Rats Tetraphenylborate/pharmacology Trityl Compounds/metabolism Turkeys Valinomycin/pharmacology
Chemicals
Cations, Monovalent Onium Compounds Trityl Compounds triphenylmethylphosphonium Valinomycin Calcimycin Tetraphenylborate
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Cheng K
Haspel H C
Vallano M L
Osotimehin B
Sonenberg M
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47 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
The Journal of membrane biology
Abbr.
J Membr Biol
ISSN
0022-2631
DOI
10.1007/BF01869476
Published
1980-10-31
Pages
191-201
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0211301
Subset
IM
Grants
NIADDK NIH HHS · AM18759 · United States
NCI NIH HHS · CA08748 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM27612 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF01869476 View journal details
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