Blood/bone disequilibrium: IV. Reciprocal effects of calcium and phosphate concentrations on ion fluxes

Quantitative measurements were made of the ion fluxes of calcium and phosphate into and from calvaria (mouse or rat) when clamped in specially designed micro-Ussing chambers. The effects of varying concentrations of calcium were examined on the influx and efflux of calcium and of its counterion, phosphate. A comparable series of experiments was performed with varying phosphate concentrations. Both ions, as their concentrations increased, depressed their own influx, increased their own efflux, and significantly increased the equilibrium concentration, E/K, supported by the calvaria. Similarly, both ions, as their concentrations increased, affected the influx or efflux of their counterion only slightly but did depress the counterion's equilibrium level, E/K, significantly. In spite of these changes it was shown that calvaria effectively buffered the medium at physiological concentrations of calcium and phosphate. The buffering capacity, however, was small, and the balance, E/K, was modified by small uptake or loss of either ion. The small size of the interacting mineral pool was confirmed by direct measurement of the rapidly exchanging fractions of both calcium or phosphate. They were only approximately 1% of the total ions present. The significance of these findings is discussed.