Abstract
Various cellular features of red blood cells, such as transmembrane transport and the physicochemical properties of haemoglobin, are affected by ionic strength. In relation to sickle cell and other abnormal forms of haemoglobin, the effects of ionic strength assume biomedical relevance. The knowledge of the actual value of intracellular ionic strength is therefore important when performing in vitro studies. A comparison is made here of the intracellular ionic strength of red cells, depending on whether complex formation between multivalent ions is taken into account. A 20% difference is found, which for cell-free experiments would have significant consequences for a number of red cell-related processes. Complex formation between ions should therefore be considered in assuming a value of intracellular ionic strength.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antonini E, Brunori M (1971) Hemoglobin and myoglobin in their reactions with ligands. North Holland, Amsterdam, pp 110–111
Berger H, Jänig G-R, Gerber G et al. (1973) Interaction of haemoglobin with ions. Interactions among magnesium, adenosine 5′-triphosphate, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, and oxygenated and deoxygenated human haemoglobin under simulated intracellular conditions. Eur J Biochem 38:553–562
Bookchin RM, Balazs T (1986) Ionic strength dependence of the polymer solubilities of deoxyhemoglobin S+C and S+A mixtures. Blood 67:887–892
Eaton JW, Skelton JD, Swofford HS et al. (1973) Elevated erythrocyte calcium in sickle cell disease. Nature 246:105–106
Elbaum D, Harrington JP, Bookchin RM et al. (1978) Kinetics of HbS gelation. Effect of alkylureas, ionic strength and other hemoglobins. Biochim Biopbys Acta 534:228–238
Fischer S, Nagel RL, Bookchin RM et al. (1975) The binding of hemoglobin to membranes of normal and sickle erythrocytes. Biochim Biophys Acta 375:422–433
Gerber G, Berger H, Jänig G-R et al. (1973) Interaction of haemoglobin with ions. Quantitative description of the state of magnesium, adenosine 5′-triphosphate, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, and human haemoglobin under simulated intracellular conditions. Eur J Biochem 38:563–571
Hamasaki N, Rose ZB (1974) The binding of phosphorylated red cell metabolites to human hemoglobin A. J Biol Chem 249:7896–7901
Lilley GL, Fung LW-M (1987) Hemoglobin membrane interaction at physiological ionic strength and temperature. Life Sci 41:2429–2436
Long C (ed) (1961) Biochemists’ handbook. Spon Ltd, London, pp 878,879
Magnani M, Stocchi V, Dechà M et al. (1984) Regulatory properties of rabbit red blood cell hexokinase at conditions close to physiological. Biochim Biophys Acta 804:145–153
Manchester KL (1980) Determination of magnesium and potassium binding constants to phosphoenolpyruvate, 2- and 3-phosphoglycerate and a number of other anions. Biochim Biophys Acta 630:225–231
Motais R, Guizouam H, Garcia-Romeu F (1991) Red cell volume regulation: the pivotal role of ionic strength in controlling swellingdependent transport systems. Biochim Biophys Acta 1075:169–180
Nigen AM, Manning JM (1975) The interaction of anions with hemoglobin carbamylated on secfic NH2-terminal residues. J Biol Chem 250:8248–8250
Nikinmaa M (1990) Zoophysiology Vol 28. Vertebrate red blood cells: adaptations of function to respiratory requirements. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 100,145
Ohanian V, Wolfe LC, John KM et al. (1984) Analysis of the ternary interaction of the red cell membrane skeletal proteins spectrin, actin, and 4.1. Biochemistry 23:4416–4420
Pauly H, Schwan HP (1966) Dielectric properties and ion mobility in erythrocytes. Biophys J 6:621–639
Saks VA, Khuchua ZA, Kuznetsov AV et al. (1986) Heart mitochondria in physiological salt solution: not ionic strength but salt composition is important for association of creatine kinase with the inner membrane surface. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 139:1262–1271
Solomon AK, Toon MR, Dix JA (1986) Osmotic properties of human red cells. J Membr Biol 91:259–273
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mouat, M.F., Manchester, K.L. The intracellular ionic strength of red cells and the influence of complex formation. Comparative Haematology International 8, 58–60 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628107
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02628107