Distribution of the Na/K Pumps' Turnover Rates As a Function of Membrane Potential, Temperature, and Ion Concentration Gradients and Effect of Fluctuations

Because of structural independence of the Na/K pump molecules, the pumping rates of individual pumps may not be the same, instead showing some sort of distribution. Detailed information about the distribution has not previously been reported. The pumping rate of Na/K pumps depends on many parameters, such as membrane potential, temperature, and ion concentration gradients across the cell membrane. Fluctuation of any of the variables will change the pumping rate, resulting in a distribution. On the basis of a simplified six-state model, a steady-state pumping flux and therefore the pumping rate were obtained. Parameters were determined based on previous experimental results on amphibian skeletal muscle and theoretical work. Gaussian fluctuations of all the variables were considered to determine the changes in the pumping rate. These variable fluctuations may be totally independent or correlated to each other. The results showed that the pumping rates of the Na/K pumps are distributed in an asymmetric profile, which has a higher probability at the lower pumping rate. We present a model distribution of pumping rates as a function of temperature, membrane potential, and ion concentration.