Chloride uptake by oat coleoptile parenchyma described by combined influx and efflux transport systems

Abstract

Chloride fluxes for oat coleoptile parenchyma were measured using the MIFE system for non-invasive microelectrode ion flux measurement. The effects on chloride fluxes of membrane potential, external chloride concentration, pH, cation composition of the bathing solution, and the anion channel blocker anthracene-9-carboxylic acid were studied.

From the experimental data we propose that the step-like appearance of the chloride uptake curve at concentrations higher than 1 mM is due to combined activity of influx and efflux systems. According to this hypothesis the uptake of chloride ions is made by a pH sensitive active transport system with V_max = 4000 nmol m^-2 s^-1, K_m = 7 mM [Cl^-]. Chloride ions are released from the cell through channels with Gaussian type kinetics, the characteristics of which are dependent upon the external bathing solution: V_max = –2300 nmol m^-2 s^-1 at 25 mM [Cl^-] for CaCl₂, and V_max = –2000 nmol m^-2 s^-1 at 15 mM [Cl^-] for KCl; with both curves having the same width of 17 mM [Cl^-].

Key words: Cl^- membrane transport, flux kinetics, Avena sativa L.