Physiologic Rationale for Multiple Sodium Pump Isoforms

A number of important themes emerge from our compartmental analyses of Na,K-ATPase biosynthesis in response to ionic stimuli. The ubiquitous alpha 1 beta 1 type sodium pump evolved to generate and maintain transmembrane Na+ and K+ gradients, and there are cell-type specific mechanisms of increasing synthesis and decreasing degradation to control surface expression of this important "housekeeping" enzyme. Expression of alpha 2 beta-type sodium pumps may have evolved in cells designated as K+ storehouses to facilitate maintenance of extracellular K+ in the presence of K+ restriction. Finally, the specialized distribution of Na,K-ATPase (and related E1-E2 type pumps) along the renal epithelia allows for monitoring and fine control of extracellular K+ and Na+ (volume). Many interesting questions remain to be answered, and we now have the probes and techniques needed to answer them.