Cation-fluxes in Galactosæmic Erythrocytes

Abstract

WITH the proved cation-permeability of erythrocytes, the constancy of sodium and potassium concentrations in plasma and red blood cells is maintained by an equilibrium between the electro-osmotic forces and the active transport. The main source of the required energy is glucose. In normal individuals galactose can be utilized for that purpose by a series of enzymatic processes converting galactose to glucose, the main pathway being that of galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase. The galacto-sæmic patient lacks one of the essential enzymes, namely, galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase^1–4. As a result, galactose-1-phosphate accumulates in the erythrocytes when the patient is on a diet containing lactose.