title: Voltage dependent membrane conductances in cultured renal distal cells.
abstract: Cultured Na(+)-transporting epithelia from amphibian renal distal tubule (A6) were impaled with microelectrodes and analyzed at short-circuit and after transepithelial voltage perturbation to evaluate the influence of voltage on apical and basolateral membrane conductances. For equivalent circuit analysis, amiloride was applied at each setting of transepithelial potential. At short-circuit, apical and basolateral membrane conductances averaged 88 and 497 microS/cm2, respectively (n = 10). Apical membrane conductance, essentially due to Na(+)-specific pathways, decreased after depolarization of the apical membrane. The drop was considerably larger than predicted by the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz (GHK) constant-field equation. This suggests decrease in permeability of the apical Na+ channels upon depolarization. Basolateral membrane conductance, preferentially determined by K+ channels, increased after hyperpolarization of the basolateral membrane. This behavior is contrary to the prediction of the GHK constant field equation and reflects inward rectification of the K+ channels. The observed rectification patterns can be valuable for maintenance of cellular homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Département de Physiologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Granitzer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crabbé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D007686:Kidney Tubules, Distal / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels