Abstract
Cell water and ionic content were measured in aortic smooth muscle from rats and ground squirrels during 48 h of incubation in oxygenated Krebs solution held at low temperatures. Cells from the ground squirrel, a hibernator, maintained sodium and potassium contents near normal levels during incubation at 7°C. In sharp contrast, cells from the rat lost potassium and gained sodium with half times of 14 and 11 h, respectively. The [K] in cell water for the rat decreased 138 mM while [Na] in cell water increased about 148 mM. Cells from the hibernator tended to lose 10 mM K and gain 13 mM Na. Vascular smooth muscle of both the rat and squirrel was able to maintain K content at 17°C. Tissue content of the divalent cations Ca and Mg did not change in vessels from either animal. The present findings suggest that aortic smooth muscle cells from a hibernator have adapted in such a way as to maintain ionic gradients upon prolonged exposure to low temperatures.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | C17-C22 |
Journal | American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 1979 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Cell Biology