Permeability of Novikoff hepatoma cells to water and monohydric alcohols

The permeability coefficients of Novikoff hepatoma ascites cell membranes for tritiated water (3HHO) and for a homologous series of monohydric alcohols (methanol through hexanol) were deduced from linear diffusion coefficients by means of a series-parallel pathway model (Redwood et al. (1974) J. Gen. Physiol. 64, 706-729). Membrane permeability coefficients for 3HHO at 20, 30 and 37 degrees C were (all x 10(-5)) 97, 125, and 163 cm . s-1, respectively, and were significantly smaller than the corresponding values for the alcohols tested. In the alcohols series, ethanol had the lowest permeability coefficient 198 x 10(-5) cm . s-1 at 20 degrees C. The apparent activation energy for water permeation was 6.7 +/- 1.9 S.E. kcal . mol-1. The apparent membrane diffusion coefficients for the alcohols were a complex function of molecular properties with less diffusional membrane resistance to the alcohols in the middle of the homologous series than would have been expected on the basis of oil-water partitioning or molar volume considerations. The conventional parallel aqueous lipophilic pathway model is not consistent with the present data which can be interpreted by consideration of parallel lipophilic pathways through the Novikoff hepatoma cell membrane.