PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

M Nikinmaa

Publications and source records attributed to M Nikinmaa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

River water with high iron concentration and low pH causes mortality of lamprey roe and newly hatched larvae.

The effects of prevailing water quality of Perhonjoki River in Western Finland on the hatchability of lamprey roe and survival of newly hatched larvae were investigated. The river flows through sulfide-rich soils, and is characterized by high average total iron (1.5-3 mg liter-1) and aluminum (0.45-0.6 mg liter-1) concentrations and relatively low pH commonly 5.5 to 6.0, with acidification peaks below pH 5. The hatchability of lamprey roe was markedly reduced under these conditions as compared with ground water with low iron (0.002 mg liter-1) and aluminum (0.11 mg liter-1) concentrations but at the same pH. Furthermore, the hatchability of roe and survival of newly hatched larvae was especially affected by an increase in total iron concentration to values that may be observed after heavy rains and during the snow-melt period (4-6 mg liter-1). The results suggest that increases in total iron concentration may play a role in the reproductive failures of lampreys observed in Finnish rivers.

Aluminum

Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport in vertebrate erythrocytes: an evolutionary change in the role of membrane transport.

Two major strategies are apparent for the regulation of gas transport by vertebrate blood except in the myxinoids, which seem to have little scope for such regulation. In lampreys and teleost fish, haemoglobins have low buffering capacities and large Bohr/Haldane effects. Na+/H+ exchange plays an important role in the control of haemoglobin oxygen-affinity in these vertebrate groups. The large Bohr/Haldane effect also facilitates carbon dioxide transport: the blood (or erythrocyte) pH increases upon deoxygenation, thus increasing the concentration of bicarbonate formed at a given carbon dioxide tension. In lampreys, the bicarbonate permeability of the erythrocyte membrane is low. As a consequence, extracellular acid loads cannot be buffered by haemoglobin. In contrast, teleost erythrocytes possess a functional anion exchange, allowing extracellular proton loads to be buffered by haemoglobin. However, because the buffering capacity of teleost haemoglobins is low, buffering of extracellular acid loads is less effective in teleost fish than in elasmobranch fish and in air-breathing vertebrates whose haemoglobins have a high buffering capacity. However, the high buffering capacity of the haemoglobins diminishes the possibility of regulating haemoglobin oxygen-affinity via secondarily active Na+/H+ exchange, because intracellular pH changes, caused by proton efflux, remain small.

Animals

Physiological toxicity of low-chlorine bleached pulp and paper mill effluent on whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L. s.l.): a laboratory exposure simulating lake pollution.

In order to validate previous field observations by the authors on whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus L. s.l., a 30-day laboratory experiment with concentrations (0, 1.3, 2.3, 3.5, and 7 vol%) of bleached kraft pulp and paper mill effluent (BKME) simulating those occurring in a polluted lake was conducted. Chlorine dioxide had almost entirely replaced chlorine gas in the bleaching of pulp. As a consequence, the concentrations of adsorbable organic halogens and chlorinated phenolics (CPs) in BKME were significantly lowered compared to earlier studies. This reduction was also seen in the concentrations of CPs in the bile and CPs and extractable organic halogens in the intestinal lipids: the concentrations were low and did not depend on the dilution of BKME. In contrast, the resin acid content of bile decreased with decreasing BKME concentration. The growth of fish was speeded up in all BKME concentrations. However, at the highest BKME concentration (7 vol%) the increase was lowest. The induction of hepatic ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity revealed strong dose-response relationship with BKME. At 3.5 vol% BKME (corresponding to a distance of 3.3 km from the mill sewer in the field) the EROD activity increased 12-fold. There was a tendency for lower activity of uridinediphosphate glucuronosyltransferase in the liver, but the decrease (34%; P < 0.05) was statistically significant only at 7 vol% BKME. The activity of liver glutathione S-transferase remained unchanged. All dilutions of BKME significantly depressed the concentrations of plasma immunoglobulin M (IgM). Erythrocytic concentrations of nucleotide triphosphates decreased and of sodium increased as the BKME concentration increased. Also some other blood parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma glucose, and aspartate aminotransferase) were changed in all BKME exposures, although without obvious dependence on effluent concentration. In conclusion, there was a good agreement between field studies and laboratory experiments using BKME concentrations occurring in the field, confirming close or similar causes for responsive toxicity endpoints.

Animals

Regulatory volume decrease in lamprey erythrocytes: mechanisms of K+ and Cl- loss.

The nature of the swelling-activated K+ and Cl- transport pathways of lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) erythrocytes was studied. In isosmotic medium, unidirectional K+ and Cl- effluxes appear to be largely mediated by conductive pathways. Unidirectional Cl- efflux increased as a function of a decrease in medium osmolarity. The swelling-activated Cl- transport was inhibited by R(+)-[(2-n-butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-1-oxo-1H-inde n-5- yl)oxy]acetic acid (DIOA), furosemide, and 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS). In contrast, moderate cell swelling did not increase unidirectional ouabain-insensitive K+ efflux. However, inhibition of transport by Ba2+ was markedly reduced. This suggests that the Ba(2+)-sensitive pathway that mediated most of the K+ efflux in isosmotic conditions was inhibited by cell swelling and a Ba(2+)-insensitive pathway was activated. DIOA had no effect on K+ efflux in isosmotic or hyposmotic medium. These data and the finding that substitution of NO3- or SCN- for Cl- had only a minor effect on the swelling-induced net extrusion of K+ and water indicate that the pathways for K+ and Cl-, activated by cell swelling, are conductive.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid

Effect of haemoglobin concentration on the oxygen affinity of intact lamprey erythrocytes

We investigated whether the oxygen affinity of lamprey haemoglobin decreases with increasing oxygen concentration at the high (10&shy;25 mmol l-1 monomeric) haemoglobin concentrations prevailing within the erythrocytes. The intracellular concentration of haemoglobin was experimentally adjusted by shrinking the cells osmotically: the osmolality of the equilibration medium was increased from approximately 250 mosmol kg-1 by 90 mosmol kg-1 to 340 mosmol kg-1 or by 180 mosmol kg-1 to 430 mosmol kg-1 by adding sucrose in the medium. This increased the mean cellular haemoglobin concentration from 16.9&plusmn;0.23 mmol l-1 (monomeric haemoglobin) to 20.0&plusmn;0.20 mmol l-1 (monomeric haemoglobin) and to 23.0&plusmn;0.36 mmol l-1 (monomeric haemoglobin), respectively (means &plusmn; s.e.m., N=35&shy;40; all the samples from 7&shy;8 different pools of blood at each osmolality combined). The oxygen equilibrium curves at each osmolality were determined by Tucker's method. An increase in haemoglobin concentration shifted the oxygen equilibrium curve to the right as indicated by the P50 values, which were 4.26&plusmn;0.07 kPa at the lowest, 4.64&plusmn;0.13 kPa at the intermediate and 5.64&plusmn;0.40 kPa (means &plusmn; s.e.m., N=7&shy;8) at the highest haemoglobin concentrations. The decrease in haemoglobin oxygen-affinity was attributed to the volume changes, since the intracellular pH did not decrease with increasing mean cellular haemoglobin concentration. Thus, the variations in red blood cell volume commonly observed during hypoxia may play a role in the regulation of haemoglobin function.

Journal Article

Haemoglobin function in intact lamprey erythrocytes: interactions with membrane function in the regulation of gas transport and acid-base balance.

Haemoglobin function within lamprey erythrocytes offers a unique solution to gas transport among vertebrates. Lamprey haemoglobin within intact erythrocytes is in oligomer/monomer equilibrium and has an oxygen affinity similar to that of haemoglobin in other active fishes. The cooperativity of oxygen binding, which is reduced at low pH values, the effect of protons and the effect of the concentration of haemoglobin on its oxygen affinity are all due to dissociation/association reactions of the haemoglobin molecules. The permeability of the lamprey red cell membrane to acid and base equivalents is very low, and plasma bicarbonate cannot therefore be dehydrated to carbon dioxide to any significant extent during the residence time of blood in the gills. This potential limitation on carbon dioxide excretion is overcome, however, by the high intraerythrocytic pH and the marked oxygenation-linked pH changes in the erythrocyte, which are due to the large Haldane effect of the haemoglobin. Owing to the relative impermeability of the erythrocyte membrane to acid equivalents, intraerythrocytic haemoglobin cannot take part in the acid-base buffering of the extracellular compartment. As a consequence, extracellular acid loads cause marked fluctuations in plasma pH.

Animals

Glucose transport in carp erythrocytes: individual variation and effects of osmotic swelling, extracellular pH and catecholamines

The characteristics of the uptake of 3-O-methyl-d-glucose (3-OMG) by carp (Cyprinus carpio) erythrocytes were studied in vitro with tracer methods. There is large individual variation in the permeability of the carp erythrocyte membrane to 3-OMG. Although transport is inhibited by cytochalasin B and phloretin, the lack of saturation kinetics for transport in a physiologically relevant concentration range suggests either that a glucose transporter does not exist or that its affinity for glucose is extremely low. The marked increase in transport after osmotic swelling and the inhibition of swelling-induced glucose transport by cytochalasin B suggest that the glucose transport pathway in carp erythrocytes (both in isotonic and hypotonic conditions) may be similar to the volume-activated channel described for flounder erythrocytes. 3-OMG transport across the carp erythrocyte membrane is increased by catecholamines by a mechanism independent of the catecholamine-induced cell swelling.

Journal Article

Substrate transport and utilization in fish erythrocytes.

In contrast to mammalian erythrocytes which fulfil their energy requirements via anaerobic glycolysis, fish erythrocytes obtain most of their energy aerobically via the Krebs cycle. This enables them to use various substrates, including monocarboxylic acids, glucose and amino acids. This review discusses the membrane permeability of these substrates, and their relative importance in the energy production of fish erythrocytes. Agnathans are characterized by a high permeability to all of the potential substrates, glucose, monocarboxylic and amino acids. In contrast, teleost erythrocytes are often characterized by low glucose permeability. It appears that monocarboxylic acids and certain amino acids such as glutamine may be more important in energy production of teleost erythrocytes than glucose.

Amino Acids

ACTIVATION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ROLE OF Na+/H+ EXCHANGE IN LAMPREY (LAMPETRA FLUVIATILIS) ERYTHROCYTES

The effects of intracellular acidification, osmotic shrinkage and ss-adrenergic stimulation on sodium transport across the membrane of lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) erythrocytes were investigated. Unidirectional ouabain-insensitive sodium flux, measured using radioactive 22Na, was increased markedly by intracellular acidification, to a lesser extent by osmotic shrinkage and only modestly by ss-adrenergic stimulation. Na+/H+ exchange was activated in all of these cases. However, net sodium influx (and cell swelling caused by the influx of osmotically obliged water) was seen only in cells subjected to intracellular acidification. In contrast, practically no changes in red cell pH or in water or ion (Na+, K+ and Cl-) contents were seen after osmotic shrinkage or ss-adrenergic stimulation. Calculations of the [Na+]o/[Na+]i and [H+]o/[H+]i ratios across the erythrocyte membrane suggest that the virtual lack of net sodium movements in osmotically shrunken erythrocytes is due to the absence of a driving force for net transport of these ions via the Na+/H+ exchange pathway. It also appears that, in physiological conditions, the increase in the activity of the Na+/H+ exchanger by ss-adrenergic stimulation is too small to mediate detectable net sodium transport.

Journal Article

Haemoglobin function in intact Lampetra fluviatilis erythrocytes.

The red cell pH as a function of oxygen saturation of haemoglobin and the oxygen affinity of haemoglobin as a function of red cell pH in Lampetra fluviatilis were studied at intracellular pH values ranging from 6.7 to 8.0. The maximal increase in red cell pH upon deoxygenation, 0.326 units, was seen when the pH of oxygen-saturated erythrocytes was 7.7, a value corresponding to the red cell pH of resting lampreys. The effect of oxygen saturation on red cell pH was reduced both when the red cell pH was decreased and when it was increased. The haemoglobin-oxygen affinity was strongly pH-dependent, with a Bohr-factor of -1.03. At a high pH (7.67) maintained by lamprey red cells at physiological conditions, the P50 value was 28.2 Torr. At a pH value (7.33) similar to that of rainbow trout, the P50 value was 73 Torr. Thus, the high red cell pH in lamprey is required for effective oxygen loading in gills. It also maximizes the apparent cooperativity of oxygen binding.

Animals

Relationship between blood buffering properties, erythrocyte pH and water content, in gray seals (Halichoerus grypus).

The separated plasma of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) has an unusually high non-bicarbonate buffering capacity (beta NB = d[HCO3-]/dpH = -21 Slykes; Slyke = mmol l-1 pH unit-1). To examine whether this represents a trait of mammalian carnivora, or is related instead to deep diving, we examined blood from dog and killer whale, respectively. The beta NB of separated plasma of dog was typically low (-4 to -8 Slykes), as in other mammals, whereas that of the whale (-13.5 Slykes), while significantly higher than dog, was not nearly as high as in seal. As one would theoretically predict of a blood system with exceptionally high extracellular buffering and functional anion exchange across the erythrocyte membrane, there was little difference in the buffer slope between true plasma and whole blood of seal. This appears to be a novel pattern of CO2 carriage in mammals. Erythrocyte ion concentrations were similar to other mammalian carnivora, with intracellular sodium concentration being high and potassium low. The red cell water content was unaffected by changes in oxygen saturation and tended to decrease when extracellular pH decreased below 7.4. Apart from the comparatively elevated Bohr factor, -0.518 as a function of extracellular pH and -0.550 as a function of red blood cell pH, the blood oxygen binding properties were similar to terrestrial mammals of similar size.

Animals

Inhibition of adrenergic proton extrusion in rainbow trout red cells by nitrite-induced methaemoglobinaemia.

The effects of nitrite-induced methaemoglobinaemia on adrenergic proton extrusion from rainbow trout red blood cells were studied using the pH-stat method. In control conditions adrenergic proton extrusion was completely inhibited by amiloride and was greater in deoxygenated than in oxygenated erythrocytes. Nitrite-induced methaemoglobinaemia was associated with a pronounced reduction in the catecholamine-stimulated proton efflux from both deoxygenated and oxygenated erythrocytes. In deoxygenated erythrocytes the initial proton efflux upon catecholamine stimulation decreased by 60-70%, while the percentage of methaemoglobin in the red cells increased from the control level of 1-3% to 20%. In oxygenated erythrocytes the decrease was 30% at the same methaemoglobin percentage range. It is suggested that the pronounced influence of nitrite-induced methaemoglobinaemia on adrenergic proton efflux results from an inhibition of the red cell sodium/proton exchanger by the R-like haemoglobin conformations.

Animals

Effects of oxygen saturation on the CO2 transport properties of Lampetra red cells.

We investigated the effects of haemoglobin oxygenation on the carbon dioxide transport properties of lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) erythrocytes. The non-bicarbonate buffering capacity of deoxygenated lamprey erythrocytes was -43 mmol.L-1.pH unit-1. The carbon dioxide content of oxygenated erythrocytes was 7-8 mM lower than that of deoxygenated erythrocytes over a range of carbon dioxide tensions. This was the result of a pronounced Haldane effect (proton uptake by haemoglobin upon deoxygenation): at extracellular pH 7.5, the intracellular pH of oxygenated erythrocytes was 7.67, and increased to 7.91 when the haemoglobin-oxygen saturation decreased to 7%. No specific oxylabile binding of bicarbonate or carbon dioxide to haemoglobin occurred under the conditions of the present study. Owing to the high red cell pH and its large increase upon deoxygenation, carbon dioxide can be effectively transported in lamprey blood, although plasma bicarbonate is not available for carbon dioxide excretion because of the lack of rapid anion exchange across the red cell membrane.

Animals

Effect of noradrenaline on the methaemoglobin concentration of rainbow trout red cells.

We studied the effect of noradrenaline on the methaemoglobin (metHb) concentration in rainbow trout red cells. The erythrocytes were incubated in physiological medium with or without noradrenaline and the percentage of metHb of total Hb content was measured. Noradrenaline lowered the metHb content significantly as compared to controls. To study if the effect of noradrenaline was caused by adrenergic intracellular alkalinization, cells were treated with noradrenaline + carbonic anhydrase or noradrenaline + acetazolamide. Carbonic anhydrase inhibits the adrenergic increase in intracellular pH, but did not reduce the effect of noradrenaline on the metHb concentration. Acetazolamide accentuates the increase in intracellular pH. However, there was no difference in the methaemoglobin content of noradrenaline-incubated and noradrenaline + acetazolamide-incubated cells. These results show that the effect of noradrenaline on the methaemoglobin content is independent from the adrenergic increase in intracellular pH. However, amiloride treatment inhibited the effect of noradrenaline on the methaemoglobin content, suggesting that the protein mediating sodium/proton exchange may also be involved in controlling cellular methaemoglobin levels.

Animals

D-glucose permeability in river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) erythrocytes.

1. The transport of 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG) in lamprey and carp erythrocytes was studied. 2. In lamprey erythrocytes the half-time for the equilibration of 3-OMG was fast, approx. 8 min. In contrast, the erythrocytes of carp were almost impermeable to 3-OMG, with a half-time for equilibration of 14.2 hr. 3. 3-OMG was taken up by lamprey erythrocytes both by facilitated diffusion and simple diffusion. The presence of carrier-mediated transport was indicated by saturation kinetics and by inhibition by phloretin. The Km and Vm of the saturable component of 3-OMG transport were 1.6 mmol/l and 12.4 mmol/kg packed cells/hr. 4. Since the 3-OMG transport in carp erythrocytes showed no sign of saturation kinetics, it appears to proceed by simple diffusion only. 5. These results suggest that, as for most other teleost fish so far studied, low glucose permeability is insufficient to maintain normal energy metabolism in carp erythrocytes. In contrast, in agnathans facilitated glucose transport seems to be quite effective.

3-O-Methylglucose

Effect of oxygen tension on catecholamine-induced formation of cAMP and on swelling of carp red blood cells.

We studied the effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation on the formation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and on the cell volume in carp red blood cells in normoxia (PO2 = 150 mmHg) and hypoxia (PO2 = 8 mmHg). Accumulation of cAMP was the prerequisite for adrenergic cell swelling. Cell swelling was induced by beta-agonists, forskolin, and 8-bromo-cAMP. The amount of cAMP required for adrenergic swelling was minimal; swelling was observed at cAMP concentrations greater than 100 nM. Maximal increase in cell volume was observed at 200 nM cAMP. These values were independent of both the oxygen tension and the beta-agonist used. Norepinephrine caused the largest accumulation of cAMP, followed by isoproterenol and epinephrine. At hypoxic conditions, the cAMP concentrations obtained after stimulation with the natural catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine were greater than at normoxic conditions. The catecholamines caused appreciable cell swelling at lower concentrations in hypoxia than in normoxia. Thus the number of beta-adrenergic receptors, and their inherent ligand affinities, may be higher in hypoxic than in normoxic carp red blood cells. Oxygen tension had a pronounced effect on the magnitude of the adrenergic swelling. The maximal increase in cell volume was 5-7% in hypoxia, whereas in normoxia it was only approximately 2%. This was not due to differences in cAMP formation, but possibly to a greater activity of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger in hypoxic than in normoxic conditions.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate