Magnesium concentration in red blood cells is approximately how many times higher than in plasma?

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Multiple Choice

Magnesium concentration in red blood cells is approximately how many times higher than in plasma?

Explanation:
Magnesium distribution between plasma and red blood cells reflects its role as an intracellular cofactor. Red blood cells maintain a higher Mg2+ concentration because magnesium is needed to stabilize ATP as Mg-ATP and to support the activity of glycolytic enzymes inside the cell. This intracellular pool is much larger than the extracellular (plasma) pool, where Mg2+ is lower and more of it is in bound or loosely bound form. Because of this, the Mg2+ level inside red blood cells is about ten times the level in plasma, so tenfold is the best approximate value. The other options would imply much smaller or much larger differences than what’s typically observed in physiology.

Magnesium distribution between plasma and red blood cells reflects its role as an intracellular cofactor. Red blood cells maintain a higher Mg2+ concentration because magnesium is needed to stabilize ATP as Mg-ATP and to support the activity of glycolytic enzymes inside the cell. This intracellular pool is much larger than the extracellular (plasma) pool, where Mg2+ is lower and more of it is in bound or loosely bound form. Because of this, the Mg2+ level inside red blood cells is about ten times the level in plasma, so tenfold is the best approximate value. The other options would imply much smaller or much larger differences than what’s typically observed in physiology.

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