Hepatic Na(+)-dicarboxylate cotransport: identification, characterization, and acinar localization.

Rat liver perfusion studies suggest that the transport of alpha-ketoglutarate (KG) and related dicarboxylates exhibits acinar heterogeneity, in that the uptake and subsequent metabolism of these organic anions appears to occur predominantly in the perivenous region. However, the isolated perfused liver as an experimental model cannot distinguish intra-acinar differences in either the rate of solute uptake and/or efflux or intracellular binding and/or metabolism. Therefore, the driving forces and acinar localization of KG transport were examined using rat basolateral liver plasma membrane vesicles (blLPMV) isolated from control animals and animals treated 24 h before with selective perivenous and periportal toxins [carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and allyl alcohol (AA), respectively].

Organic cation transport by rat liver plasma membrane vesicles: studies with tetraethylammonium.

Recently, an organic cation:H+ antiport was selectively identified on the sinusoidal domain of rat liver with the use of the endogenous organic cation N1-methylnicotinamide (NMN). Absence of NMN+:H+ exchange on canalicular membrane suggested that this transport process was primarily involved in organic cation uptake, leaving the mechanism(s) for organic cation secretion into bile unknown. To further define hepatic organic cation transport, we examined the characteristics of tetraethylammonium (TEA) transport in basolateral (blLPM) and canalicular (cLPM) rat liver plasma membrane vesicles.

Thiamine transport by basolateral rat liver plasma membrane vesicles.

Hepatic thiamine transport is thought to be a saturable, Na(+)- and energy-dependent process. However, the transport of this organic cation has not been examined in experimental models that allow direct characterization of carrier-mediated processes. Recently, a sinusoidal organic cation/H+ antiport was identified, using N1-methylnicotinamide as a marker.

Adenosine transport in rat liver plasma membrane vesicles.

Liver plasma membrane ecto-ATPase activity is largely restricted to the bile canalicular membrane. To determine whether a transport process is also selectively present on this membrane surface to reclaim adenosine derived from the intracanalicular degradation of ATP, the characteristics of hepatic nucleoside transport were examined in canalicular (cLPM) and basolateral (blLPM) rat liver plasma membrane vesicles. In the presence of the adenosine deaminase inhibitor, deoxycoformycin, an inwardly directed Na+ gradient markedly stimulated [3H]adenosine uptake in cLPM vesicles.