Abstract
The distal convoluted tubule (DCT) from rabbit kidney were perfused in vitro to study the conductive properties of the cell membranes by using electrophysiological methods. When the lumen and the bath were perfused with a biearbonate free solution buffered with HEPES, the transepithelial voltage (V T) averaged −2.8±0.6 mV (n=20), lumen negative. The basolateral membrane voltage (V B) averaged −77.8±1.1 mV (n=33) obtained by intracellular impalement of microelectrodes. Cable analysis performed by injecting a current from perfusion pipette revealed that the transepithelial resistance was 21.8±1.7 Ω·cm2 and the fractional resistance of the luminal membrane was 0.78±0.03 (n=8), indicating the existence of ionic conductances in the luminal membrane. Addition of amiloride (10−5 mol/l) to the luminal perfusate or Na+ removal from the lumen abolished the lumen negativeV T and hyperpolarized the apical membrane. An increase in luminal K+ concentration from 5 to 50 mmol/l reduced the apical membrane potential (V A) by 37.5±2.6 mV (n=7), whereas a reduction of Cl− in the luminal perfusate did not changeV A significantly (0.5±0.5 mV,n=4). Addition of Ba2+ to the lumen reducedV A by 42.6±1.0 mV (n=4). When the bathing fluid was perfused with 50 mmol/l K+ solution, the basolateral membrane voltage (V B) fell from −76.8±1.5 to −31.0±1.3 mV (n=18), and addition of Ba2+ to the bath reducedV B by 18.3±4.8 mV (n=7). Although a reduction of Cl− in the bathing fluid from 143 to 5 mmol/l did not cause any significant fast initial depolarization (1.8±1.7 mV,n=8), a spike like depolarization (14.0±2.5 mV,n=4) was observed, upon Cl− reduction in the presence of Ba2+ in the bath. From these results, we conclude that the apical membrane of DCT has both K+ and Na+ conductances and the basolateral membrane has a K+ conductance and a small Cl− conductance.
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Yoshitomi, K., Shimizu, T., Taniguchi, J. et al. Electrophysiological characterization of rabbit distal convoluted tubule cell. Pflugers Arch. 414, 457–463 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585057
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585057