The effect of membrane fixed charges on diffusion potentials and streaming potentials

Abstract

1. Electrical potential differences (p.d.'s) have been measured across an in vitro preparation of rabbit gall‐bladder.2. When the gall‐bladder separates identical bathing solutions, the p.d. is always zero, regardless of the composition of the bathing solution. Hence the gall‐bladder is symmetrical: i.e. the mucosal and serosal cell membranes have the same relative permeability coefficients.3. Osmotic water flow causes streaming potentials of up to 20 mV, of a sign indicating greater permeability to cations than to anions.4. At constant osmolarity, streaming potentials increase slightly with NaCl concentration. Streaming potentials decrease considerably with changes in osmolarity resulting from changes in NaCl concentration.5. Diffusion potentials resulting from electrolyte concentration gradients are fitted well by the constant‐field equation with the relative permeability coefficients P_Na = 1·00, P_Cl = 0·33, P_K = 2·3. These permeability coefficients are independent of osmolarity and of salt concentration.6. Relative to 0·25 m M‐Ca, 5 m M‐Ca reduces streaming potentials by 40%, NaCl diffusion potentials by 62%, and potassium diffusion potentials by 43%.7. The aqueous channels through which water and electrolytes traverse the cell membranes of the gall‐bladder contain negative fixed charges, which are blocked by Ca. The physiological significance of the charges may be to reduce chloride permeability and thereby to increase the effectiveness of the gall‐bladder in concentrating bile.8. The effect of pH, and analogy with surface charges of other cells, suggest that the charges are organic acids of low pK_a.