title: Cyclic AMP-and beta-agonist-activated chloride conductance of a toad skin epithelium.
abstract: 1. The control by intracellular cyclic AMP and beta-adrenergic stimulation of chloride conductance was studied in toad skin epithelium mounted in a chamber on the stage of an upright microscope. Impalement of identified principal cells from the serosal side with single-barrelled conventional or double-barrelled Cl(-)-sensitive microelectrodes was performed at x500 magnification. For blocking the active sodium current 50 microM-amiloride was present in the mucosal bath. 2. When clamped at transepithelial potential difference V = 0 mV, the preparations generated clamping currents of 0.9 +/- 1 microA/cm2 (mean +/- S.E.M.; number of observations n = 55). The intracellular potential of principal cells (Vb) was -96 +/- 2 mV with a fractional resistance of the basolateral membrane (fRb) of 0.016 +/- 0.003 (n = 54), and an intracellular Cl- activity of 40 +/- 2 mM (n = 24). 3. At V = 0 mV, serosal application of a cyclic AMP analogue, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (500 microM) or a beta-adrenergic agonist, isoprenaline (5 microM) resulted in a sixfold increase in transepithelial Cl- conductance identified by standard 36Cl- tracer technique. 4. The clamping current at V = 0 mV was unaffected by cyclic AMP (short-circuit current Isc = 0.1 +/- 0.3 microA/cm2, n = 16) indicating that subepidermal Cl(-)-secreting glands are not functioning in our preparations obtained by collagenase treatment. 5. Cyclic AMP- or isoprenaline-induced chloride conductance (Gcl) activation (V = 0 mV) was not reflected in membrane potential and intracellular Cl- activity in principal cells. Intracellular chloride activity was constant at approximately 40 mM at membrane potentials between -90 and -100 mV. Therefore, it can be concluded that the principal cells are not contributing to activated Cl- currents. 6. At V = -100 mV where the voltage-dependent chloride conductance of mitochondria-rich (MR) cells was already fully activated, GCl was unaffected by cyclic AMP or isoprenaline. The major effect of these treatments was a rightward displacement of the MR cell-generated GCl-V relationship along the V axis. 7. Our results indicate that the beta-adrenergically controlled cyclic AMP-mediated chloride conductance is localized to the mitochondria-rich cells.
authors.affiliation: Zoophysiological Laboratory A, August Krogh Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Willumsen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002023:Bufo bufo / Q000502:physiology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D007545:Isoproterenol