title: Effect of acute metabolic acidosis on transmembrane electrolyte gradients in individual renal tubule cells.
abstract: We studied the effect of acute metabolic acidosis on potassium, sodium and chloride gradients across the apical membrane of proximal and distal tubule cells by determining electrolyte concentrations in individual cells and in tubule fluid employing electron microprobe analysis. Cellular measurements were performed on freeze-dried cryosections of the renal cortex, analysis of tubule fluid electrolyte concentrations on freeze-dried microdroplets of micropuncture samples obtained from proximal and from early and late distal collection sites. Acidosis (NH4Cl i.v. and i.g.) induced a substantial rise in plasma potassium concentration without significant effects on cell potassium concentrations. Potassium concentrations along the surface distal tubule were also unaltered; thus the chemical driving force for potassium exit from cell to lumen was not affected by acidosis. In all but intercalated cells acidosis markedly increased cell phosphorus concentration and cell dry weight indicating cell shrinkage and thus diminution of cell potassium content. Because the increase in intracellular chloride concentration exceeded the increase in plasma chloride concentration, the chemical chloride gradient across the contraluminal membrane was markedly depressed by acidosis.
authors.affiliation: Physiologisches Institut, Universität München, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dörge
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thurau
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D007686:Kidney Tubules, Distal / Q000378:metabolism; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium