Accumulation of amino acids by calf lens.

Calf lens has the capacity for accumulating proline, hydroxyproline, tyrosine, and tryptophan from a buffered salt medium supplemented with glucose. Sufficient energy to accomplish this task can be derived from anaerobic glycolysis. Apparently a variety of neutral amino acids can enter the lens by a common path, if fudged by the existence of competitive effects. Ouabain, an inhibitor of active cation transport and membrane ATP use, inhibited, the accumulation of proline and hydroxyproline by calf lens. This cardiac glycoside seems to produce proportionate decreases in lenticular amino acid and potassium.