Generation of potential in lipid bilayer membranes as a result of proton-transfer reactions in the unstirred layers

1982 ◽  
Vol 14 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 457-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu. N. Antonenko ◽  
L. S. Yaguzhinsky
1971 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Andreoli ◽  
Susan L. Troutman

The present experiments were designed to evaluate the effective thickness of the unstirred layers in series with native and porous (i.e., in the presence of amphotericin B) lipid bilayer membranes and, concomitantly, the respective contributions of membranes and unstirred layers to the observed resistances to the diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes between aqueous phases. The method depended on measuring the tracer permeability coefficients for the diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes (PDDi, cm sec-1) when the aqueous phase viscosity (η) was increased with solutes having a unity reflection coefficient, such as sucrose or dextran. The effective thickness of the unstirred layers (αt, cm) and the true, or membrane, permeability coefficients for diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes (Pmmi, cm sec-1) were computed from, respectively, the slope and intercept of the linear regression of 1/PDDi on η. In both the native and porous membranes, αt was approximately 110 x 10-4 cm. The ratio of Pf, the osmotic water permeability coefficient (cm sec-1) to PmmH2O was 1.22 in the native membranes and 3.75 in the porous membranes. For the latter, the effective pore radius, computed from Poiseuille's law, was approximately 5.6 A. A comparison of Pmmi and PDDi, indicated that the porous membranes accounted for 16, 25, and 66% of the total resistance to the diffusion of, respectively, H2O, urea, and glycerol, while the remainder was referable to the unstirred layers.


1971 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 479-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Andreoli ◽  
James A. Schafer ◽  
Susan L. Troutman

The present experiments were designed to evaluate coupling of water and nonelectrolyte flows in porous lipid bilayer membranes (i.e., in the presence of amphotericin B) in series with unstirred layers. Alterations in solute flux during osmosis, with respect to the flux in the absence of net water flow, could be related to two factors: first, changes in the diffusional component of solute flux referable to variations in solute concentrations at the membrane interfaces produced by osmotic flow through the unstirred layers; and second, coupling of solute and solvent flows within the membrane phase. Osmotic water flow in the same direction as solute flow increased substantially the net fluxes of glycerol and erythritol through the membranes, while osmotic flow in the opposite direction to glycerol flow reduced the net flux of that solute. The observed effects of osmotic water flow on the fluxes of these solutes were in reasonable agreement with predictions based on a model for coupling of solute and solvent flows within the membrane phase, and considerably in excess of the prediction for a diffusion process alone.


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