Increased Permeability to Albumin induced with Protamine in Modified Gelatine Membranes

Abstract

THE passage of macromolecules through living membranes is facilitated by cationic forms of proteins¹ and by histones, protamine and alkaline polyaminoacids as demonstrated by Ryser and Hancock². Generally, the cell membrane surface is considered to carry a net negative charge, a property which should be especially pronounced in the case of many tumour cell surfaces³. Alterations reported in the permeability of cell membranes may be dependent on changes in membrane surface charges, caused by the adsorption of large cations. I have demonstrated that similar effects are produced by polycations on negatively charged artificial protein membranes.