The sodium-alanine interaction in rabbit ileum. Effect of alanine on sodium fluxes.

The interaction between Na transfer and alanine transfer across the mucosal border of rabbit ileum has been studied further by examining the effect of alanine on Na movement. Studies on strips of mucosa treated with ouabain showed that net Na movements against a Na concentration difference could be caused by a concentration difference of alanine. Na extrusion from mucosal cells was demonstrated when cellular alanine concentration exceeded that in the external medium. Conversely, the cells took up Na against a concentration difference when external alanine concentration was greater than cellular concentration. Unidirectional Na efflux from the cells toward the mucosal solution was increased by loading the cells with alanine. The relation between the increment in Na efflux and alanine efflux was approximately that predicted by the model of Curran et al. (reference 2) for the Na-alanine interaction at the mucosal border of the cells. The results offer further indication that the transport system is reversible and symmetrical.