In vitro effects of pH and hemoglobin-oxygen saturation on plasma and erythrocyte K+ levels in blood from trout.

Plasma and erythrocyte K+ were monitored during storage and tonometry of blood samples taken from resting rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. During storage of arterial blood samples, plasma K+ concentration increased by 38% in 12 min. During extended tonometry of blood with a pH near 7.9 and full hemoglobin-bound oxygen (HbO2) saturation the erythrocytes showed a net loss of K+. Plasma K+ concentration increased from 2.9 mM to a near steady-state value of 5.6 mM. When tonometered at a pH near 7.2 and a HbO2 saturation at approximately 4% the erythrocytes took up K+, leading to a dramatic reduction in plasma K+ concentration to 0.2 mM. This net uptake was stimulated by isoprenaline and was inhibited by ouabain. It is concluded that net erythrocyte K+ uptake and loss can be induced in trout by changes in blood pH or HbO2 saturation in vitro.