title: Amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na+ channel is made of three homologous subunits.
abstract: The amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel constitutes the rate-limiting step for sodium reabsorption in epithelial cells that line the distal part of the renal tubule, the distal colon, the duct of several exocrine glands, and the lung. The activity of this channel is upregulated by vasopressin and aldosterone, hormones involved in the maintenance of sodium balance, blood volume and blood pressure. We have identified the primary structure of the alpha-subunit of the rat epithelial sodium channel by expression cloning in Xenopus laevis oocytes. An identical subunit has recently been reported. Here we identify two other subunits (beta and gamma) by functional complementation of the alpha-subunit of the rat epithelial Na+ channel. The ion-selective permeability, the gating properties and the pharmacological profile of the channel formed by coexpressing the three subunits in oocytes are similar to that of the native channel.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Pharmacologie et de Toxicologie, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Canessa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thorens
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gautschi
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Horisberger
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Rossier
mesh_terms: D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes; D010539:Permeability; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015222:Sodium Channels; D000584:Amiloride