The discovery of Na+,K+-ATPase earned Jens Christian Skou the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, a recognition that solidified his role as a foundational figure in biochemistry. His work identified the molecular mechanism responsible for moving sodium and potassium ions across plasma membranes, a process that had long remained a mystery to the scientific community.
Early Education and Academic Path
Born in Lemvig in 1918 to parents Magnus Martinus Skou and Ane-Margrethe Skou, Skou attended boarding school in Haslev at age 15. He completed his medical degree at the University of Copenhagen in 1944 and earned his doctorate in 1954. His long-term tenure at Aarhus University began in 1947, eventually leading to a professorship in biophysics in 1977. He remained active in the Department of Physiology until his retirement in 1988.
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In the early 1950s, Skou investigated the action of local anaesthetics, proposing that these substances altered nerve cell excitability by dissolving in the lipid layer of plasma membranes. He hypothesized that this interaction affected membrane proteins, specifically sodium channels. To test if other membrane proteins responded similarly, he began examining the enzyme ATPase found in crab nerves.
Identifying the Ion Pump
Skou observed that ATPase activity increased significantly when exposed to specific concentrations of sodium, potassium, and magnesium ions. At a 1958 conference in Vienna, he met Robert Post, who had identified that cells pumped three sodium ions out for every two potassium ions in using the inhibitor ouabain. Following a discussion with Post, Skou confirmed that ouabain also inhibited his enzyme, proving the link between the ATPase enzyme and the sodium-potassium pump.
Later Life and Recognition
After receiving the Nobel Prize alongside Paul D. Boyer and John E. Walker in 1997, Skou continued to engage with his field well into his later years. He was an active member of numerous international scientific bodies, including the National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He died in Aarhus on 28 May 2018 at age 99 and is buried at Risskov Kirkegård.
Fast facts
- Born: 1918, Lemvig
- Died: 2018, Aarhus
- Education: University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 1997
- Key Discovery: Na+,K+-ATPase
- Professional Titles: Chemist, Physiologist, Biochemist, Biophysicist
- Languages: English, Danish
- Burial Site: Risskov Kirkegård
Questions readers ask
What specific enzyme did Skou discover?
He identified Na+,K+-ATPase, which facilitates the active transport of sodium and potassium ions across the plasma membrane.
What role did ouabain play in his research?
Ouabain acted as an inhibitor that helped demonstrate the functional link between the enzyme ATPase and the ion pump mechanism.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry — 1997
- Educated at University of Copenhagen
- Worked as chemist, autobiographer and university teacher
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