[Sodium currents in muscles incubated in potassium-free Ringer's solution. Effect of ouabain on unidirectional sodium...

Frog sartorius muscles subjected to loading with Na in K-free Ringer solution in the cold were subsequently labelled with 22Na. The uptake of 22Na is not sensitive to ouabain (10(-4) M) while sodium efflux is decreased by oubain. It is concluded that ouabain-sensitive Na-for Na interchange is not present in this condition. Possibly ouabain-sensitive sodium efflux is partly or completely potassium-requiring fraction since some K (approximately 10 microM) is inevitably present in K-free solution. The increase in the rate constant for potassium loss in the presence of ouabain favours this supposition.