Electrogenic responses induced by neutral amino acids in endoderm cells from Xenopus embryo

1. Membrane potential measurements were carried out on endoderm cells from early Xenopus embryos in order to study neutral amino acid transport in non-excitable cells. 2. The electrical properties of the cell membrane were studied under normal conditions, then in the presence of various Na/K-pump inhibitors and at different Na, K and Cl concentrations in Ringer solution. Blockade of the Na/K-pump by ouabain, Li, cooling to 10 degrees C or low [Na]0 induces similar depolarizations of about 40 mV. 3. External application of various neutral L-amino acids induces reversible membrane depolarizations. The D-isomeric forms are found to be ineffective. The amino acid induced depolarizations are not accompanied by changes in membrane resistance. They do not show voltage dependence for potential changes of less than 40 mV. 4. The amino acid depolarization increases with increasing concentration and follows first order Michaëlian kinetics. Both the size and the time course of the amino acid depolarization depend on [Na]0. Increasing [Na]0 markedly increases the apparent affinity of the membrane receptor for amino acid. 5. Increasing [k]0 reduces the size of the amino acid response. Short exposures to either ouabain or Li do not alter the amino acid depolarization. However, p time course of the amino acid depolarization depend on [Na]0. Increasing [Na]0 markedly increases the apparent affinity of the membrane receptor for amino acid. 5. Increasing [k]0 reduces the size of the amino acid response. Short exposures to either ouabain or Li do not alter the amino acid depolarization. However, p time course of the amino acid depolarization depend on [Na]0. Increasing [Na]0 markedly increases the apparent affinity of the membrane receptor for amino acid. 5. Increasing [k]0 reduces the size of the amino acid response. Short exposures to either ouabain or Li do not alter the amino acid depolarization. However, prolonged exposure to pump inhibitors or marked alteration of the Na concentration gradient leads to a complete inhibition of amino acid responses. 6. The results are in good agreement with the notion that the amino acid induced responses reflect the activation of an electrogenic amino acid carrier, very likely co-transporting Na and amino acid.