Abstract
CARBOCYANINE dyes are fluorescent probes of membrane potential in red cells1,2, and their application has been extended to Ehrlich ascites cells3,4 and phytoplankton5. I have used them to study the effect of potassium concentration gradients on the membrane potential of resealed ghosts containing Ca buffers. Intracellular Ca specifically renders these ghosts highly permeable to K (ref. 6). During this work, I discovered that 3,3′-dipropyl- and 3,3′-diethyl-thiadicarbocyanine iodide cause a progressive inhibition of K efflux at low external K concentrations, and that external K protects against the inhibitory effects of the dyes. The results suggest that the carbocyanine dyes are specific inhibitors of the Ca-dependent K transport system.
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