Albumin has no role in the uptake of copper by human fibroblasts

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Inorg. Biochem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0162-0134(87)80057-0· OSTI ID:5347864

McArdle, H J; Guthrie, J R; Ackland, M L; Danks, D M

The mechanism of copper uptake by cells has been the subject of controversy for some time. This paper examines the possibility of a role for albumin in the uptake of copper by fibroblasts. Although the cells could accumulate copper from a copper-albumin complex, there was no evidence for either copper-albumin or albumin receptors on the cell surface. The possibility of a surface exchange mechanism for copper was examined. While copper uptake showed saturation with increasing concentrations of labelled copper-albumin, adding unlabelled copper to the incubation medium did not inhibit uptake. Adding albumin or histidine to the copper-albumin complex resulted in an inhibition of copper uptake. The results can only be explained by the cell taking up free copper from the incubation medium, with the albumin then releasing its copper to maintain the equilibrium between free and bound metal. Since, in vivo there is essentially no free copper in serum, it is concluded that albumin is most unlikely to play a role in the uptake of copper by fibroblasts.

• Research Organization: Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria (Australia)
• OSTI ID: 5347864
• Journal Information: J. Inorg. Biochem.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Inorg. Biochem.; (United States) Vol. 31:2; ISSN JIBID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALBUMINS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
COPPER
COPPER ISOTOPES
DNA
ELEMENTS
FIBROBLASTS
FUNCTIONS
INHIBITION
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MAN
MEMBRANE PROTEINS
METALS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
RECEPTORS
SOMATIC CELLS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES