Cationic fluxes and some aspects of brain metabolism in vitro.

Evidence for the existence of active transport of phosphate in isolated rat brain has been presented. The rates of phosphate and glycine active transport have been studied in unstimulated, potassium and electrically stimulated brain slices. Stimulation of respiration of brain slices by a high concentration of K+ and by the application of electrical pulses appears to be dependent on the activity of the "sodium pump". The levels of tissue Na+ and K+ regulate the rate of acetate oxidation in brain slices. Studies of the rates of L-C14-acetate oxidation to C14O2 may be used to investigate fluxes of Na+ and K+ into the brain cell. [...