Membrane transport carrier function, its regulation and coupling t o metabolism, can be selectively investigated dissociated from metabolism and in the presence of a defined electrochemical ion gradient driving force, using the single internal compartment system provided by vesiculated surface membranes. Vesicles isolated from nontransformed and Simian virus 40-transformed mouse fibroblast cultures catalyzed carrier-mediated transport of several neutral amino acids into an osmoticallysensitive intravesicular space without detectable metabolic conversion of substrate.vesicle membranes, accumulation of several neutral amino acids achieved apparent intravesicular concentrations 6-t o 9-fold above their external concentrations. Na+-stimulated alanine transport activity accompanied plasma membrane material during subcellular fractionation procedures. Competitive interactions among several neutral amino acids for Na+-stimulated transport into vesicles and inactivation studies indicated that at least 3 separate transport systems with specificity properties previously defined for neutral amino acid transport in Ehrlich ascites cells were functional in vesicles from mouse fibroblasts: the A system, the L system and a glycine transport system. The pH profiles and apparent K m values for alanine and 2-aminoisobutyric acid transport into vesicles were those expected of components of the corresponding cellular uptake system. Several observations indicated that both a Na+ chemical concentration gradient and an electrical membrane potential contribute t o the total driving force for active amino acid transport via the A system and the glycine system. Both the initial rate and quasi-steady-state of accumulation were stimulated as a function of increasing concentrations of Na+ applied as a gradient (external > internal) across the membrane. This stimulation was independent of endogenous Na' , K+-ATPase activity in vesicles and was diminished by monensin or by preincubation of vesicles with Na+. The apparent Km for transport of alanine and 2-aminoisobutyric acid was decreased as a function of Na+ concentration. Similarly, in the presence of a standard initial Na+ gradient, quasi-steady-state alanine accumulation in vesicles increased as a function of increasing magnitudes of interior-negative membrane potential imposed across the membrane by means of Kt diffusion potentials (internal > external) in When a Na+ gradient, external Na+ > internal Na+, was artifically imposed across Abbreviations used: iso-Abu -2-aminoisobutyric acid; TPMP' -triphenylmethylphosphosphonium ion; SV 40 -Simian virus 40; FCCP -carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. Julia E. Lever is now at the