title: Further studies of electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransport in glial cells of Necturus optic nerve: regulation of pHi.
abstract: In the presence of Ba++, an increase in the bath HCO3- at constant CO2 (i.e., variable bath pH) produced a hyperpolarization. The hyperpolarizing effect of adding HCO3-/CO2 at constant bath pH was not significantly affected by the presence of 50 mumol/l strophanthidin. In the absence of Ba++, addition of HCO3-/CO2 at constant bath pH produced a Na(+)-dependent hyperpolarization. Therefore, CO2 movements, electrogenic Na+/K+ pump activity and changes in Ba++ binding do not contribute significantly to the hyperpolarization induced by HCO3-. These results along with the results of previous studies (Astion et al: J Gen Physiol 93:731, 1989) strongly suggest that the hyperpolarization induced by the addition of HCO3- is due to an electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransporter, which transports Na+, HCO3- (or its equivalent), and net negative charge across the glial membrane. To study the role of electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransport in the regulation of pHi in glial cells, we used intracellular double-barreled, pH-sensitive microelectrodes. At a bath pH of 7.5, the mean initial intracellular pH (pHi) was 7.32 (SD 0.03, n = 6) in HEPES-buffered Ringer's solution and 7.39 (SD 0.1, n = 6) in HCO3-/CO2 buffered solution. These values for pHi are more than 1.2 pH units alkaline to the pHi predicted from a passive distribution of protons; thus, these cells actively regulate pHi. Superfusion and withdrawal of 15 mmol/l NH4+ induced an acidification of 0.2 to 0.3 pH units, which recovered toward the original steady-state pHi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, Old San Juan 00901.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Astion
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chvatal
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Orkand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009338:Necturus maculosus; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism*; D027982:Sodium-Bicarbonate Symporters
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D027982:Sodium-Bicarbonate Symporters; D006859:Hydrogen