Ionic permeation

Polar Cell Systems for Membrane Transport Studies Direct current electrical measurement in epithelia steady-state and transient analysis, 171, 607 impedance analysis in tight epithelia, 171, 628 electrical impedance analysis of leaky epithelia theory, techniques, and leak artifact problems, 171, 642 patch-clamp experiments in epithelia activation by hormones or neurotransmitters, 171, 663 ionic permeation mechanisms in epithelia biionic potentials, dilution potentials, conductances, and streaming potentials, 171, 678 use of ionophores in epithelia characterizing membrane properties, 171, 715 cultures as epithelial models porous-bottom culture dishes for studying transport and differentiation, 171, 736 volume regulation in epithelia experimental approaches, 171, 744 scanning electrode localization of transport pathways in epithelial tissues, 171, 792. 

Modify ing amino acid side chains is therefore a useful way of controlhng ionic permeation. 

Kang, M. and Martin, C.R. Investigations of potential-dependent fluxes of ionic permeates in gold nanotubule membranes prepared via the template method. Langmuir 17, 2753-2759, 2001. 

The three K-channels listed above are tetrameric assemblies with subunits sharing the same signature amino acid sequence TXGYGD of the selectivity filter. Also common is the topology of the ionic permeation channel, composed of two transmembrane helices (inner and outer helix) per subunit. The two transmembrane helices are joined by a pore sequence constructed with a shorter pore helix plus the selectivity filter segment. 

Electrically assisted transdermal dmg deflvery, ie, electrotransport or iontophoresis, involves the three key transport processes of passive diffusion, electromigration, and electro osmosis. In passive diffusion, which plays a relatively small role in the transport of ionic compounds, the permeation rate of a compound is deterrnined by its diffusion coefficient and the concentration gradient. Electromigration is the transport of electrically charged ions in an electrical field, that is, the movement of anions and cations toward the anode and cathode, respectively. Electro osmosis is the volume flow of solvent through an electrically charged membrane or tissue in the presence of an appHed electrical field. As the solvent moves, it carries dissolved solutes. 

Whey concentration, both of whole whey and ultrafiltration permeate, is practiced successfully, but the solubility of lactose hmits the practical concentration of whey to about 20 percent total sohds, about a 4x concentration fac tor. (Membranes do not tolerate sohds forming on their surface.) Nanofiltration is used to soften water and clean up streams where complete removal of monovalent ions is either unnecessary or undesirable. Because of the ionic character of most NF membranes, they reject polyvalent ions much more readily than monovalent ions. NF is used to treat salt whey, the whey expressed after NaCl is added to curd. Nanofiltration permits the NaCl to permeate while retaining the other whey components, which may then be blended with ordinaiy whey. NF is also used to deacidify whey produced by the addition of HCl to milk in the production of casein. 

Second, most membrane materials adsorb proteins. Worse, the adsorption is membrane-material specific and is dependent on concentration, pH, ionic strength, temperature, and so on. Adsorption has two consequences it changes the membrane pore size because solutes are adsorbed near and in membrane pores and it removes protein from the permeate by adsorption in addition to that removed by sieving. Porter (op. cit., p. 160) gives an illustrative table for adsorption of Cytochrome C on materials used for UF membranes, with values ranging from 1 to 25 percent. Because of the adsorption effects, membranes are characterized only when clean. Fouling has a dramatic effect on membrane retention, as is explained in its own section below. 

All organic coatings show varying degrees of solubility and permeability for components of the corrosive medium, which can be described as permeation and ionic conductivity (see Sections 5.2.1 and 5.2.2). An absolute separation of protected object and medium is not possible because of these properties. Certain requirements have to be met for corrosion protection, which must also take account of electrochemical factors [1] (see Section 5.2). 

One of the most remarkable results from the molecular simulation studies of aqueous electrolyte solutions was that no additional molecular forces needed to be introduced to prevent the much smaller ions (Na has a molecular diameter of less than 0.2 nm) from permeating the membrane, while permitting the larger water molecules (about 0.3 nm in diameter) to permeate the membrane. This appeared to be due to the large ionic clusters formed. The ions were surrounded by water molecules, thus increasing their effective size quite considerably to almost 1 nm. A typical cluster formed due to the interaction between the ions and a polar solvent is shown in Fig. 7. These clusters were found to be quite stable, with a fairly high energy of desolvation. The inability of the ions to permeate the membrane is also shown... 

Home, R. A., Day, A. F., and Young, R. P. (1969). Ionic diffusion under high pressure in porous solid materials permeated with aqueous, electrolytic solution. /. Phys. Chem. 73,2782-2783. 

As can be seen from Figure 2, pore permeation increases with ionic strength, but the curves are not linear and in particular show poor resolution at MW less thcui a million. Complete loss of resolution in this MW reuige is seen at 0.5 M NaCl reflecting, presumably total permeation. However the total permeated volume (as measured with NaCl) is significantly greater than the polymer elution voliame at 0.5 M NaCl. Such a volume difference could be explained if a fraction of the pores is inaccessible to even the lowest M.W. polymer investigated. 

Seventy years later, this theory largely holds true, although periodically challenged [67, 68]. Observation of transmembrane permeability of ionic species was initially explained by the formation of neutral ion-pair [69, 70]. A comprehensive review of the physicochemical properties influencing permeation has been written by Malkia et al. [5]. The reality is that, despite many studies, the effect of ionization on permeation is still a matter of discussion and active research. In contrast, it became clear that bulk-phase partitioning measurements are not adequate to describe bilayer partitioning [71-73]. 

The stationary phase in gel permeation (also called size exclusion) chromatography contains cavities of a defined size distribution, called pores. Analytes larger than the pores are excluded from the pores and pass through the column more rapidly than smaller analytes. There may be secondary effects due to hydrophobic adsorption, ionic interaction, or other interactions between the stationary phase and analyte. Gel permeation and non-ideal interactions in gel permeation are described more fully in Chapter 6. 

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