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1. The entry of Li into the vascular smooth muscle cells of the rat tail artery follows first-order kinetics with a rate constant of approximately 1·3 hr^-1 at 10 mM-[Li]_o. The rate constant decreases gradually to ca. 0·5 hr^-1 when the [Li]_o/[Na]_o ratio is increased.

2. Replacement of Na with Li over the range of [Li]_o from 1 to 115 mM, accomplished at constant ionic strength and osmolarity of the bathing solution, produces changes in cell Na and K without apparent change in cell water. At equilibrium, cell Li increases in linear proportion to [Li]_o, at a ratio of 2:1 throughout the range. The increase in cell Li is associated with inverse falls in both cell K and Na such that the ratio of cell K to cell Na remains constant at ca. 10:1 throughout.

3. The changes in the ionic contents, induced by equilibration of the tissue with a Na-free, Li-substituted solution, are reversible.

4. Replacement of Na with sucrose over the range of 40-115 mM results, at equilibrium, in a linear fall in cell Na without conspicuous change in cell K. A constant portion of the cell Na, ca. 10 m-mole/kg dry wt., does not participate in this exchange.

5. At equilibrium, reductions in [Na]_o are reflected in corresponding reductions in apparent [Na]_i such that the [Na]_o/[Na]_i ratio remains constant.