Ni++ as a competitive inhibitor of calcium transport in mitochondria

The kinetics of Ca++ uptake in rat liver mitochondria have been studied using the potassium diffusion potential. The advantage of this approach is that in this condition, the mitochondrial respiratory rate is not the limiting step, and therefore the effects of Ni++ on the Ca++ carrier can be studied. Our results suggest that Ni++ is a competitive inhibitor of the Ca++ carrier, but it is not transported into the mitochondria.