title: L-tryptophan uptake by segment-specific membrane vesicles from the proximal tubule of rabbit kidney.
abstract: 1. The mechanism of the renal transport of L-tryptophan by basolateral and luminal membrane vesicles prepared from either the pars convoluta or the pars recta of the rabbit proximal tubule was studied. The uptake of L-tryptophan by basolateral membrane vesicles from the pars convoluta was found to be an Na(+)-dependent transport event. The Na(+)-conditional influx of the amino acid was stimulated in the presence of an inwardly directed H+ gradient. Lowering the pH without an H+ gradient had no effect, indicating that L-tryptophan is co-transported with H+. 3. On the other hand, no transient accumulation of L-tryptophan was observed in the presence or absence of Na+ in basolateral membrane vesicles from the pars recta. 4. In luminal membrane vesicles from the pars recta, the transient Na(+)-dependent accumulation of L-tryptophan occurred via a dual transport system. In addition, an inwardly directed H+ gradient could drive the uphill transport of L-tryptophan into these vesicles in both the presence and the absence of an Na+ gradient. 5. By contrast, the uptake of L-tryptophan by luminal membrane vesicles from the pars convoluta was a strictly Na(+)-dependent and electrogenic transport process, mediated by a single transport component. 6. Investigation of the coupling ratio in luminal membrane vesicles suggested that 1 Na+:1 L-tryptophan are co-transported in the pars convoluta. In the pars recta, examination of the stoichiometry indicated that approx. 1 H+ and 2 Na+ (high affinity) or 1 Na+ (low affinity) are involved in the uptake of L-tryptophan.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biochemistry, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jessen
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D007679:Kidney Medulla / Q000378:metabolism; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011817:Rabbits; D011865:Radioisotope Dilution Technique; D014316:Tritium; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014316:Tritium; D014364:Tryptophan