Erythrocytic cation transport receptor numbers and activity in pregnancies complicated by essential hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

Journal article

Various functions of erythrocytic cation transport were studied in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancy (women with pre-eclampsia and essential hypertension). The results showed that in pregnancy there is an increase in the number of erythrocytic glycoside binding sites accompanied by a proportional increase in the active inward transport of rubidium (used as a substitute for potassium). There was no evidence of an effect of pregnancy on intraerythrocytic sodium concentrations. These changes were apparently entirely attributable to pregnancy and not affected by pre-eclampsia or essential hypertension. It is suggested that these alterations indicate an adaptive increase in sodium pump numbers and activity secondary to a tendency for the intraerythrocytic sodium concentration to rise during pregnancy and compensating for that tendency.

Authors: Aronson, J; Moore, M; Redman, C; Harper, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: British medical journal (Clinical research ed.)
• Volume: 288
• Issue: 6427
• Pages: 1332-1334
• Publication date: 1984-05-01
• ISSN: 0267-0623
• Language: English
• Keywords: Adult; Biological Transport, Active; Female; Adolescent; Humans; Pre-Eclampsia; Sodium; Pregnancy; Digoxin; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Rubidium; Hypertension; Erythrocytes