Potassium and Its Disorders
Potassium is the major intracellular cation in the human body. Over 98% of the total body potassium is located within the intracellular compartment. In healthy adults, the total intracellular content of potassium is equivalent to 3000-3500 mmol. Approximately 70% of this amount is found in skeletal...
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IntechOpen,
2019-06-27.
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| Summary: | Potassium is the major intracellular cation in the human body. Over 98% of the total body potassium is located within the intracellular compartment. In healthy adults, the total intracellular content of potassium is equivalent to 3000-3500 mmol. Approximately 70% of this amount is found in skeletal muscle with lesser amounts in bone, red blood cells, liver and skin. The extracellular compartment contains 1-2% of the total body potassium. This uneven distribution of total body potassium is the result of an electrogenic pump, Na+, K+ ATPase. This pump transports three sodium ions extracellularly in exchange of transporting two potassium ions intracellularly. This mechanism creates a ratio that determines the cell membrane potential. Maintenance of this potassium ratio and membrane potential is vital for normal nerve conduction and muscular contraction. |
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| Item Description: | https://mts.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/potassium-and-its-disorders |