Characterization of apical and basolateral membrane conductances of rat inner medullary collecting duct
Stanton, B.A.
American Journal of Physiology 256(5 Pt 2): F862-F868
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9513 PMID: 2719119 Document Number: 338583
Initial segments of the iner medullary collecting duct of the rat were perfused in vitro, and the electophysiological properties of the apical and basolateral membranes were examined with KCl-filled microelectrodes. The fractional resistance of the apical membrane (FRa = Ra/Ra + Rbl) and the transepithelial resistance (RT) were estimated by cable analysis. In control tubules the transepithelial voltage (VT) averaged -2.2 mV, and the voltage across the basolateral membrane (Vbl) averaged -51.1 mV. RT was 11.9 k.OMEGA. .cntdot. cm (72.8 .OMEGA. .cntdot. cm2), and FRa was 0.94. Pretreatment of the rats with deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-pivalate for 7-10 days did not alter these electrophysiological properties. In control tubules, amiloride in the lumen (10-5 M) changed VT from -3.0 to +1.4 mV and increased Vbl from -49.4 to -53.8 mV, RT from 12.5 to 13.6 kO .cntdot. cm, and FRa from 0.92 to 0.98. Thus the apical membrane is conductive to Na+. An increase of the bath K+ concentration from 4 to 15 mM caused an 18.8 mV depolarization of Vbl: barium in the bath also depolarized Vbl. A fivefold decrease in the [HCO3-] in the bath depolarized Vbl by 13.1 mV. 4,4'-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2-'disulfonic acid (DIDS) blocked this depolarization. Thus the basolateral membrane is conductive to K+ and HCO3-. Experiments with ouabain revealed a Na+-K+-ATPase in the basolateral membrane. Taken together, the results support a model in which electrogenic Na+ absorption is driven by the Na+-K+-ATPase in the basolateral membrane, with passive movement of Na+ occurring through an amiloride-sensitive conductive pathway in the apical membrane.