Mitochondrial permeability to chloride ion

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the inner membrane of the mitchondrion is not penetrated by chloride ion, in contrast to other biological membranes which are chloride permeable. In this report mitochondrial permeablity to chloride ion has been reevaluated by the measurement of passive swelling in isotonic chloride-containing solutions in the presence of an uncoupling agent. Under these conditions, mitochondria prepared from rat liver or beef heart show a definite uptake of wide variety of chloride salts. Mitochondrial chloride transport appears to be electrogenic, as is the transmembrane movement of the other halides. Therefore, the mitochondrial inner membrane shares with other biological membranes a definite permeability to this ubiquitous anion.