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Abstract

The behavior of Na/K pump currents when exposed to an oscillating electric field is studied by computer simulation. The pump current from a single pump molecule was sketched based on previous experimental results. The oscillating electric field is designed as a symmetric, dichotomous waveform varying the membrane potential from -30 to -150 mV around the membrane resting potential of -90 mV. Based on experimental results from skeletal muscle fibers, the energy needed to overcome the electrochemical potentials for the Na and K-transports are calculated in response to the field's two half-cycles. We found that a specially designed oscillating electric field can eventually synchronize the pump molecules so that all the individual pumps run at the same pumping rate and phase as the field oscillation. They extrude Na ions during the positive half-cycle and pump in K ions during the negative half-cycle. The field can force the two ion-transports into the corresponding half-cycles, respectively, but cannot determine their detailed positions. In other words, the oscillating electric field can synchronize pumps in terms of their pumping loops but not at a specific step in the loop. These results are consistent with our experimental results in measurement of the pump currents. (PUBLICATION ABSTRACT)

Details

Title
Computer simulation of synchronization of Na/K pump molecules
Publication title
Volume
40
Issue
4
Pages
337-45
Publication year
2008
Publication date
Aug 2008
Publisher
Springer Nature B.V.
Place of publication
New York
Country of publication
Netherlands
Publication subject
ISSN
0145-479X
e-ISSN
1573-6881
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
Document type
Journal Article
Accession number
18679778
ProQuest document ID
212176621
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/computer-simulation-synchronization-na-k-pump/docview/212176621/se-2?accountid=208611
Copyright
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Last updated
2024-10-05
Database
ProQuest One Academic