Regulation of Cl-dependent K transport by oxy-deoxyhemoglobin transitions in trout red cells

The oxygenation of trout red cells opens a Cl-dependent K pathway inhibited by furosemide, and by inhibitors of the erythrocyte anion exchanger such as DIDS and niflumic acid. The trigger is the deoxy-oxy conformational change of hemoglobin. The binding of carbon monoxide to heme, which induces a similar conformational change, mimics the effect of oxygen. The possible mechanisms enabling molecular oxygen to control the transport protein are discussed. This oxygenation-activated K transport appears to play a regulatory role in the control of the extracellular K concentration.