Carnitine transport in rat heart slices: I. the action of thiol reagents on the acetylcarnitine/carnitine exchange
Sartorelli, L.; Ciman, M.; Siliprandi, N.
Italian Journal of Biochemistry 34(4): 275-281
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2938 PMID: 3932251 Document Number: 254911
Rat heart slices show a permeability barrier that can be crossed by carnitine but not by sucrose and inulin. The integrity of thiol groups of heart cell membrane is essential for the uptake of carnitine. N-ethylmaleimide inhibits the transport into heart slices which is insensitive to Mersalyl. On the contrary both N-ethylmaleimide and Mersalyl inhibit acetyl carnitine/carnitine exchange. The amount of thiol groups titrated by the above reagents are related to the extent of exchange inhibition.