Biophysical Journal 5: 487-509 (1965)
© 1965 the Biophysical Society

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A Unified Kinetic Hypothesis of Carrier-Mediated Transport

Its Applications

ABSTRACT

A model analysis of the process of carrier mediated membrane transport is presented, wherein the carrier is present in two forms of differing affinity for substrate. The two forms of carrier undergo interconversion by asymmetric metabolic reactions on each side of the membrane. From this model system expressions are derived for the steady-state distribution ratio for substrate, for the unidirectional fluxes of substrate and hence for the initial velocity of uptake of substrate, and for the effect of preloading cells upon the initial velocity of uptake of labeled substrate. These expressions are applied to published data for glycine transport in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells to obtain numerical values for the parameters of a concentrative membrane carrier system. Concentrative uptake is shown to be consequent to the differing affinities of the two forms of carrier. When the affinities of the two forms are equal, equilibrative uptake occurs. The model analysis is applied to the phenomena of metabolic and competitive inhibition.