[The transport and distribution of monovalent cations during the blast transformation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes activated by phytohemagglutinin]

Abstract

Potassium (rubidium) influx, sodium and potassium contents, as well as size distribution, DNA and protein contents and synthesis have been examined in PHA-activated human lymphocytes within 0.5-72 h. A complex set of ionic events was found to include at least two stages of the increase in potassium and sodium contents per g cell protein and in ouabain-sensitive potassium influx which are preceded by a decrease in potassium content by almost 17% within the first 2-5 h. The kinetics of potassium and sodium changes has own pattern for each of cations, thus indicating definite changes in the ouabain-resistant transport of potassium and sodium during the G0----G1----S progression. The late increase in potassium content per g cell protein was found to correlate with the growth in cell size. This finding confirms the rule which was stated earlier for other animal cells, i. e. cells that prepare to proliferate are to raise their potassium per g cell protein up to the level of 0.8-1.0 mmole (Vereninov. Marakhova, 1986).