Passive cation permeability of turtle colon: Evidence for a negative interaction between intracellular sodium and apical sodium permeability

The role of intracellular sodium in the regulation of apical sodium permeability was investigated in an electrically “tight” epithelium, the turtle colon. In the presence of low mucosal sodium (3 mM) and serosal ouabain, an inhibitor of the basolateral sodium pump, the apical membrane retained a substantial amiloride-sensitive, sodium conductance and the basolateral membrane exhibited a barium-sensitive potassium conductance in parallel with a significant sodium (and lithium) conductance. In the presence of a high mucosal sodium concentration (114 mM), however, inhibition of active sodium absorption by ouabain led to a disappearance of the amiloride-sensitive, transepithelial conductance that was due, at least in part, to a virtual abolition of the apical sodium permeability. Two lines of evidence indicate that this permeability decrease was dependent upon an increase in intracellular sodium content. First, raising the mucosal sodium concentration from 3–114 mM in the presence of ouabain reversibly inhibited the amiloride-sensitive conductance. The time course of the decline in conductance paralleled the apparent intracellular accumulation of sodium in exchange for potassium, which was monitored as a transient deflection in the amiloride-sensitive, short-circuit current. Second, the inhibitory effect of mucosal sodium-addition was markedly attenuated by serosal barium, which prevented the accumulation of sodium by blocking the electrically coupled, basolateral potassium exit. These results support the notion of a “negative feedback” effect of intracellular sodium on the apical sodium permeability.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47451/1/424_2004_Article_BF00583286.pd

Control of Rectal Gland Secretion in the Dogfish (<i>Squalus Acanthias</i>) : Steps in the Sequence of Activation

ABSTRACT We measured the venous and arterial pressure, as well as the rate of secretion and content of cyclic AMP and high energy phosphate compounds, of the rectal gland of the anaesthetized dogfish, Squalus acantinas (L.). Intravenous infusion of isotonic solutions produced a very large increase in the rate of secretion by the rectal gland. The increase in secretion was preceded by an increase in venous blood pressure, but arterial blood pressure was not modified. Injections of small doses of veratridine stimulated gland secretion when given in the vicinity of the heart but not when given in the dorsal aorta. During volume expansion the creatine phosphate and ATP content of the gland were markedly reduced, while ADP and AMP as well as cyclic AMP content were increased. We conclude that: (a) volume expansion leads to the release of a message that activates adenyl cyclase in the gland; (b) the increased venous pressure may be the initial signal in the sequence that leads to the release of the activating messenger; (c) there is a receptor mechanism in the atrial and cardiac region that triggers the sequence that activates glandular secretion; (d) the reduction in the content of high energy phosphate compounds during volume expansion is caused by an increase in energy expenditure, probably due to gland secretion.</jats:p

Activation of K+ conductance in basolateral membrane of toad urinary bladder by oxytocin and cAMP

We incubated toad urinary bladders with Na+-free, isotonic K+ solutions on the apical side and increased the cationic conductance of the apical membrane with nystatin (150 U/ml). Under these conditions, the short-circuit current is mostly carried by K+ flowing from mucosa to serosa. Impedance measurements showed that in nystatin-treated preparations, the electrical behavior of the tissue is dominated by the basolateral membrane properties. Oxytocin (0.1 U/ml) produced an increase of the current and the conductance of the basolateral membrane. Both the resting and the oxytocin-stimulated current were rapidly and reversibly blocked by serosal Ba2+. Addition of the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) analogue [8-(4-chloropheylthio)-cAMP] to the basolateral solution mimicked the effects of oxytocin. These results show that oxytocin and cAMP stimulate a potassium conductance in the basolateral membrane and that the stimulation is not related to an increase in sodium entry through the apical membrane. Addition of ouabain (10(-3) M) to the serosal solution did not modify the stimulation by oxytocin, indicating that the activated pathway is not linked to the rate of turnover of the Na+ pump. </jats:p