SODIUMANDPOTASSIUM.PDF

PERMEABILITY OF THE HUMAN ERYTHROCYTE TO SODIUM AND POTASSIUM * BY NATHANIEL B. KURNICKt (From the Medical and Dermatological Clinics of the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Fatigue Laboratory, Harvard University, Boston) Downloaded from (Received for publication, May 22, 1941) The permeability of the red blood cell to sodium and potassium has been the subject of many investigations in recent years but the results obtained are not definitive. Part of the confusion perhaps may be attributed to the fallacy of drawing generalizations / from studies upon different species. Thus, while sodium is the principal base in the erythrocyte of the cat and the dog, potassium is the principal base in the erythrocyte of the rabbit, the monkey, and man. ,4n impressive number of observations (l-10) suggests that erythrocytes are impermeable to base. An equally impressive by guest on April 27, 2017 number (1 l-20) suggests that red cells are permeable but only under conditions thought to be unphysiological. Yet a third group (21-28) supports the contention that permeability exists even within the physiological range. In the third group are the studies of Conway and Boyle (29) which suggest permeability to potas- sium but not to the larger sodium ion. Finally, there is the state- ment of Yannet, Darrow, and Cary (30) that erythrocytes are permeable to base only in species which have a preponderance of sodium in the cell. These workers affirm, however, that an experi- mental error as great as 30 per cent might distort their conclusions in regard to sodium permeability in those species which have a preponderance of potassium in the erythrocyte. Recently, the use of radioactive isotopes of sodium and potassium * This investigation was aided by a grant from the Milton Fund of Har- vard Univers