Date of Award
1975
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
Department
Graduate Studies
First Advisor
Donald Y. Shirachi
First Committee Member
Marvin H. Malone
Second Committee Member
Herbert Stanton
Third Committee Member
O. M. Roscoe
Abstract
From the standpoint of physiologists, emphasis has been placed on viewing the chemical nature of the membrane as an operational barrier to the free diffusion of ions. This tends to explain the fact that the ionic composition of the cytoplasm of the animal cell differs from its external fluid environment.
It is well know that where sodium is the principal cation of the extracellular fluid, potassium has such a role inside the cell. Since there appears to be differential distribution of these ions across the cell membrane, this infers a concentration gradient of these ions. This differential distribution is important for certain life processes, for example, the propagation of nervous impulses mainly is dependent on the changes in concentration of sodium and potassium ions on both sides of the axonal membrane. Much effort has been put into elucidating the mechanism which cells maintain and change such concentration gradients. The enzyme system investigated in this study, namely, the sodium-activated adenosine triphosphatase, might be involved in maintaining this ionic gradient.<\p>
Pages
102
Recommended Citation
Toh, Lily. (1975). Studies on the characterization of a soluble factor of a sodium-activated, magnesium-dependent adenosinetriphosphatase in rat cerebral cortex. University of the Pacific, Thesis. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/433