Activation of the electrogenic sodium pump in guinea-pig atria by external potassium ions.

1. When cardiac preparations are rewarmed following prolonged hypothermia a transient hyperpolarization occurs in K-containing media. This hyperpolarization is correlated with the active Na efflux. It might be due to electrogenic Na pumping or to extracellular K depletion brought about by the activity of an electroneutral Na-K exchange pump. In order to distinguish between these mechanisms the effect of various extracellular K concentrations ([K](o)) on the membrane potential of guineapig atria was studied before and after hypothermia.2. The membrane potential increased with decreasing [K](o) before cooling. It reached values of -64 and -92 mV at 10.8 and 0 mM-K, respectively.3. The membrane hyperpolarized transiently after hypothermia beyong the potential observed before cooling. Maximal values of about -94 mV were obtained during rewarming in solutions containing 0.4-2.7 mM-K. The membrane potential was significantly lower (-88 mV) in K-free media. It was also diminished at [K](o) higher than 2.7 mM and was measured to be -74 mV at 10.8 mM-K.4. The hyperpolarization of the cell membrane during the first 20 min of rewarming was maximal at 2.7 mM-K and yielded 15.5 mV. The hyperpolarization amounted to 7.2 and 10 mV at 0.4 and 10.8 mM-K, respectively. No hyperpolarization occurred in K-free solutions.5. The rate of decline of the transient hyperpolarization increased with [K](o).6. Variations of membrane input resistance after changes in [K](o) were measured in rewarmed atrial trabecula. The measurements revealed an increase in membrane resistance in lower [K](o).7. It is concluded that the transient hyperpolarization of the cardiac cell membrane during rewarming is due to the activation of an electrogenic Na pump.8. The (relative) strength of the pump current at various [K](o) was derived from the observed dependence of the hyperpolarization and of the membrane input resistance on [K](o). The current is estimated to be half-maximal at about 1.5 mM-K.