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Microelectrode studies of fundic gastric mucosa: Cellular coupling and shunt conductance

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Summary

Necturus fundic gastric mucosa was studied to define the magnitude of cellular and shunt conductance. Electrotonic coupling of surface epithelial cells by a low resistance pathway was shown by analysis of current spread within the epithelial sheet. From this analysis cellular conductance was found to be 4.18 ± 1.57 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−2, and transepithelial shunt conductance was 1.1 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−2. The ratio of cell-to-shunt conductance was 3.80. These results are confirmed by a second technique in which the Δp. d. across the serosal membrane of surface cells was compared to the transepithelial Δp. d. resulting from a Δ[K+] in the serosal solution. The data were analyzed using an electrical circuit equivalent to a mucosa composed of two highly coupled cell types. By this technique cell conductance was 3.07 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−2, and transepithelial shunt conductance was 0.830 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−2. The cell/shunt conductance ratio was 3.70. Thus, by two independent techniques the transepithelial shunt contributes only 1/5 of the conductance ofNecturus fundic gastric mucosa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medicine and Physiology, Laboratory of Membrane Biology, University of Alabama in Birmingham and Veterans Administration Hospital, 35294, Birmingham, Alabama

    J. G. Spenney, R. L. Shoemaker & G. Sachs

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  1. J. G. Spenney
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  2. R. L. Shoemaker
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  3. G. Sachs
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Spenney, J.G., Shoemaker, R.L. & Sachs, G. Microelectrode studies of fundic gastric mucosa: Cellular coupling and shunt conductance. J. Membrain Biol. 19, 105–128 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01869973

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01869973

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