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High affinity (Na+ + Cl-)-dependent taurine transport by lactating mammary tissue

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

David B. Shennan  and
Sandra A. McNeillie
David B. Shennan
Affiliation:
Hannah Research Institute, Ayr KA6 5HL, UK
Sandra A. McNeillie
Affiliation:
Hannah Research Institute, Ayr KA6 5HL, UK
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Summary

The transport of taurine by lactating rat mammary tissue has been examined. Taurine uptake was found to be dependent upon the presence of extracellular Na+ and Cl-, which is consistent with (Na+ + Cl- + taurine) cotransport. The Ka and Vmax of taurine influx were respectively 43 μM and 37·5 μmol/kg cell water per 15 min. It is apparent that the mechanism responsible for taurine uptake is highly selective for β-amino acids. Taurine efflux consisted of a fast extracellular component and a slow membrane-limited component. The slow component was relatively insensitive to temperature, suggesting that it may represent simple diffusion. Mammary tissue was found to contain a high level of intracellular taurine: 7·29–7·44 mmol/kg cell water. We suggest that taurine is taken up and concentrated by the mammary gland by a (Na+ + Cl- + taurine) cotransport mechanism situated in the blood-facing aspect of the secretory epithelium and that a low outward permeability to taurine allows a high intra-to-extracellular concentration gradient to be maintained. Milk taurine may be derived from taurine diffusing from the cell cytosol across the apical membrane.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 61 , Issue 3 , August 1994 , pp. 335 - 343
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1994

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