Sodium ions selective binding

Sodium hexakis(formato)molybdate, 3, 1235 Sodium hypochlorite alkene epoxidation manganese catalysts, 6,378 Sodium ions biology, 6, 559 selective binding biology, 6, 551 Sodium molybdate, 3, 1230 Sodium peroxoborate, 3,101 Sodium/potassium ATPase, 6, 555 vanadate inhibition, 3, 567 Sodium pump, 6, 555 mechanism, 6, 556 Sodium pyroantimonate, 3, 265 Sodium salts... 

Especially sensitive and selective potassium and some other ion-selective electrodes employ special complexing agents in their membranes, termed ionophores (discussed in detail on page 445). These substances, which often have cyclic structures, bind alkali metal ions and some other cations in complexes with widely varying stability constants. The membrane of an ion-selective electrode contains the salt of the determined cation with a hydrophobic anion (usually tetraphenylborate) and excess ionophore, so that the cation is mostly bound in the complex in the membrane. It can readily be demonstrated that the membrane potential obeys Eq. (6.3.3). In the presence of interferents, the selectivity coefficient is given approximately by the ratio of the stability constants of the complexes of the two ions with the ionophore. For the determination of potassium ions in the presence of interfering sodium ions, where the ionophore is the cyclic depsipeptide, valinomycin, the selectivity coefficient is Na+ 10"4, so that this electrode can be used to determine potassium ions in the presence of a 104-fold excess of sodium ions. 

Glutamate and sodium/lithium-induced conformational changes in the GLT-1 transporter have been detected by the altered accessibility of trypsin-sensitive sites to the protease (59). These experiments in GLT-1 shows that lithium can occupy at least one of the sodium ion binding sites, but lithium by itself cannot support coupled transport (59). Therefore, at least one of the sodium binding sites in GLT-1 discriminates between sodium and lithium. As described earlier, this contrasts with EAAC-1, where lithium is able to support uptake. It should therefore be possible to identify residues that are responsible for the sodium/lithium selectivity difference between EAAC-1 and GLT-1. 

It is suspected that these drugs selectively bind with the intracellular surface of sodium channels and block the entrance of sodinm ions into the cell. This leads to stoppage of the depolarization process, which is necessary for the diffusion of action potentials, elevation of the threshold of electric nerve stimulation, and thus the elimination of pain. Since the binding process of anesthetics to ion channels is reversible, the drug diffuses into the vascular system where it is metabolized, and nerve cell function is completely restored. 

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