ASTROGLIAL UPTAKE IS MODULATED BY EXTRACELLULAR K

— Primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes were used to examine the uptake of the glucose analogue, 2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (2‐DOG). 2‐DOG competes with glucose for uptake, indicating that both are transported by the same carrier system. Extracellular K+ at 11.9 mM increased the uptake of 2‐DOG at 2‐DOG concentrations greater than 100 μM. Uptake. appears Na+‐dependent only at high concentrations of 2‐DOG. This suggests that the extracellular concentrations of Na+ and K+ may regulate the astrocytic uptake of 2‐DOG.