Transport of glucose, sodium, chloride and potassium between the cerebral ventricles and surrounding tissues in cats.

Abstract

AbstractThe ventriculo‐aqueductal perfusion technique was used in order to study the mechanism for transport of glucose, sodium, chloride and potassium between the cerebral ventricles and surrounding tissues in cats. The inflow perfusion fluid contained U14C‐D‐glucose and un‐labelled D‐glucose. With D‐mannose or D‐xylose in the inflow, the unidirectional flux of glucose from the cerebral ventricles was inhibited competitively. Ouabain in the inflow (10‐7M or 10–45M) and potassium‐free inflow reduced the rate of cerebrospinal fluid formation while the tissues lost potassium and gained sodium and chloride. The presence of ouabain reduced the unidirectional flux of glucose from the cerebral ventricles. The effects increased using higher concentrations of ouabain (up to 5 times 10‐5M). Injections of increasing amounts of ouabain into the internal carotid artery had 110 effects upon the above mentioned variables. The results support the idea that ouabain‐sensitive carrier‐mediated transport of glucose from the cerebral ventricles may be connected with the mechanism for active transport of ions.