Analysis of mercury ions binding to the smooth muscle of guinea-pig taenia coli

Abstract

1. 1.|Mercury uptake to taenia coli increased with an increase of the Hg 2+ concentration (0.05-5 mmol/1). The Scatchard plots of mercury uptake showed that two qualitative Hg 2+ binding sites (high and low affinity sites) exist in taenia coli. 2. 2.|The Scatchard analysis of Hg 2+ binding at 4°C indicated a single class of binding site (high affinity binding site only). 3. 3.|These results indicate that Hg 2+ binds to high affinity binding sites of cell membrane and Hg 2+ of low affinity binding sites may reflect intracellular accumulation in taenia coli.