title: Evidence for a central role for electro-osmosis in fluid transport by corneal endothelium.
abstract: The mechanism of transepithelial fluid transport remains unclear. The prevailing explanation is that transport of electrolytes across cell membranes results in local concentration gradients and transcellular osmosis. However, when transporting fluid, the corneal endothelium spontaneously generates a locally circulating current of approximately 25 microA cm(-2), and we report here that electrical currents (0 to +/-15 microA cm(-2)) imposed across this layer induce fluid movements linear with the currents. As the imposed currents must be approximately 98% paracellular, the direction of induced fluid movements and the rapidity with which they follow current imposition (rise time < or =3 sec) is consistent with electro-osmosis driven by sodium movement across the paracellular pathway. The value of the coupling coefficient between current and fluid movements found here (2.37 +/- 0.11 microm cm(2) hr(-1) microA (-1), suggests that: 1) the local endothelial current accounts for spontaneous transendothelial fluid transport; 2) the fluid transported becomes isotonically equilibrated. Ca(++)-free solutions or endothelial damage eliminate the coupling, pointing to the cells and particularly their intercellular junctions as a main site of electro-osmosis. The polycation polylysine, which is expected to affect surface charges, reverses the direction of current-induced fluid movements. Fluid transport is proportional to the electrical resistance of the ambient medium. Taken together, the results suggest that electro-osmosis through the intercellular junctions is the primary process in a sequence of events that results in fluid transport across this preparation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, W 168th St., New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubashkin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iserovich
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ruberti
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rittenband
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: F P J
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Diecke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fischbarg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D009995:Osmosis / Q000502:physiology; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010539:Permeability; D011817:Rabbits; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014867:Water