The Quantum-Mechanical Sensitive Na/K Pump Is a Key Mechanism for the Metabolic Control of Neuronal Membrane Function

Sinerik Ayrapetyan​

doi:10.4236/ojbiphy.2020.102006

Abstract

At present, there are relevant scientific materials on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of electrogenic Na/K pump function and structure, as well as on the potential- and ligand-activated ionic channels in the membrane. However, the role of electrogenic Na/K pump in regulation of semipermeable properties of cell membrane has not been elucidated yet, which is due to the fact that our knowledge about the biophysical properties of cell membrane is based on the conductive membrane theory of Hodgkin-Huxley-Katz, which is developed on internally perfused squid axon and lacks intracellular metabolism. Thus, the accumulated abundance of data on the role of G-proteins-dependent intracellular signaling system in regulation of Na/K pump activity and biophysical properties of cell membrane presumes fundamental revision of some statements of membrane theory. The aim of the present review is to briefly demonstrate our and literature data on cell hydration-induced auto-regulation of Na/K pump as well as on its role in metabolic control of semipermeable properties and excitability of neuronal membrane, which are omitted in the study of internally perfused squid axon.

Highlights

The role of electrogenic Na/K pump in regulation of semipermeable properties of cell membrane has not been elucidated yet, which is due to the fact that our knowledge about the biophysical properties of cell membrane is based on the conductive membrane theory of Hodgkin-Huxley-Katz, which is developed on internally perfused squid axon and lacks intracellular metabolism
4) The Na/K pump activation decreases the number of functionally active Na channels in membrane by both surface-dependent decrease of the number of functionally active channels and water efflux-induced inactivation of these ionic channels
There is a negative feedback between the number of functionally active Na ionic channel in membrane and Na/K pump activity

Summary

Introduction

The main failure of this theory is that it does not evaluate the role of intracellular metabolism in regulation of membrane excitability, namely it is unable to explain what mechanism controls low Na+ and high K+ permeability of cell membrane in resting state of neurons. This omission is due to the fact that the theory was initially developed on the basis of experimental data obtained by the study of internally perfused squid axon [1]. Gerald Kerkut’s laboratory [5] [6]

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion