title: Cortisol stimulates calcium transport across cultured gill epithelia from freshwater rainbow trout.
abstract: The effect of cortisol on calcium (Ca(2+)) transport across cultured rainbow trout gill epithelia composed of both pavement cells (PVCs) and mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs) was examined. Under symmetrical culture conditions (L15 media apical/L15 media basolateral), cortisol had subtle effects on gill epithelial preparations. Both control and cortisol treated epithelia exhibited Ca(2+) influx and efflux rates (measured radioisotopically using (45)Ca) that were approximately balanced, with a slight inwardly directed net Ca(2+) flux. Ussing flux ratio analysis indicated active Ca(2+) transport in the inward direction across epithelia bathed symmetrically regardless of hormone treatment. In contrast, under asymmetrical conditions (freshwater apical/L15 media basolateral) control epithelia exhibited active Ca(2+) transport in the outward direction (basolateral to apical) throughout experiments conducted over a 24-h period, whereas cortisol-treated preparations exhibited active transport in the inward direction (apical to basolateral) during the early stages of an asymmetrical culture period (e.g., T0-6 h) and passive transport during the later stages (e.g., T18-24 h). When soft freshwater (with tenfold lower [Ca(2+)]) was used for asymmetrical culture instead of freshwater, control epithelia developed outwardly directed active Ca(2+) transport properties, whereas cortisol-treated preparations did not. The results of this study support a hypercalcemic role for cortisol in rainbow trout and demonstrate that treating cultured gill epithelia composed of both PVCs and MRCs with cortisol can stimulate active Ca(2+) uptake under circumstances that more closely resemble natural conditions for fish gills (i.e., freshwater bathing the apical side of the epithelium).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Farquharson Life Science Building, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3. spk@yorku.ca
authors.forename: Scott P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Chris M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005618:Fresh Water; D005880:Gills / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017136:Ion Transport; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium; D006854:Hydrocortisone