title: Cellular site of active K absorption in the guinea-pig distal colonic epithelium.
abstract: The mammalian distal colon, which is composed of different cell types, actively transports Na, K and Cl in absorptive and K and Cl in secretory directions. To further characterize the K absorption process and to identify the cells involved in K absorption, unidirectional Rb fluxes and luminal Rb uptake into different epithelial cell types were determined in isolated guinea-pig distal colon. Net Rb absorption (1.5-2.5 micromol.h-1.cm-2) was not influenced by inhibition of Na transport with amiloride or by incubating both sides of the epithelium with Na-free solutions, but was almost completely abolished by luminal ouabain, ethoxzolamide or by incubating both sides of the epithelium with Cl-free solutions. Luminal Rb uptake, blockable by luminal ouabain, preferentially occurred in columnar surface and neck cells, to a lesser extent in surface goblet cells and to an insignificant degree in lower crypt cells. Employing a luminal Rb-Ringer (5.4 mM Rb) the Rb concentration increased within 10 min in columnar surface and neck, surface goblet and lower crypt cells to 70, 32 and about 10 mmol. kg-1 wet weight, respectively. The presence of 5.4 mM K in the luminal incubation solution reduced Rb uptake almost completely indicating a much higher acceptance of the luminal H-K-ATPase for K than for Rb. The increase in Na and decrease in K concentrations in surface and neck cells induced by luminal ouabain might indicate inhibition of the basolateral Na-K-ATPase or drastic enhancement of cellular Na uptake by the Na-H exchanger. Bilateral Na-free incubation did not alter Rb uptake, but bilateral Cl-free incubation drastically reduced it. Inhibition of net Rb absorption by ethoxzolamide and inhibition of both Rb absorption and Rb uptake by bilateral Cl-free incubation support the notion that cellular CO2 hydration is a necessary prerequisite for K absorption and that HCO3 leaves the cell via a Cl-HCO3 exchanger. Since ouabain-inhibitable transepithelial Rb flux and luminal Rb uptake rate by surface and neck cells were about the same, Rb(K) absorption seems to be accomplished mainly by columnar surface cells.
authors.affiliation: Physiologisches Institut der Universität München, Pettenkoferstrasse 12, D-80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dörge
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rechkemmer
mesh_terms: D000584:Amiloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000378:metabolism; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005016:Ethoxzolamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D008297:Male; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012413:Rubidium / Q000378:metabolism; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; D002712:Chlorides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010042:Ouabain; D000584:Amiloride; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D012413:Rubidium; D011188:Potassium; D005016:Ethoxzolamide