Influence of extracellular Cl concentration on Cl transport across isolated skin ofRana pipiens

Abstract

The effect of changes in Cl concentration in the external and/or serosal bath on Cl transport across short-circuited frog skin was studied by measurements of transepithelial Cl influx (J ₁₃ ^Cl ) and efflux (J ₃₁ ^Cl ), short-circuit current, transepithelial potential, and conductance (G _m).J ₁₃ ^Cl as well asJ ₃₁ ^Cl were found to have a saturating component and a component which is apparently linear with Cl concentration. The linear component ofJ ₃₁ ^Cl appears only upon addition of Cl to external medium, and about 3/4 of this component does not contribute toG _m. The saturating component ofJ ₃₁ ^Cl is only 5% of totalJ ₃₁ ^Cl with 115mm Cl in the serosal medium. Replacement of 115mm Cl⁻ in external medium by SO ₄ ⁼ , NO ₃ ⁻ , HCO ₃ ⁻ or I⁻ results in 87–97% reduction ofJ ₃₁ ^Cl , whereas replacement with Br⁻ has no effect. As external Cl concentration is raised in steps from 2 to 115mm,J ₁₃ ^Cl andJ ₃₁ ^Cl increase by the same amount butJ ₁₃ ^Cl is persistently 0.15 μeq/cm² hr larger thanJ ₃₁ ^Cl . These results indicate that at least 3/4 of linear components ofJ ₁₃ ^Cl andJ ₃₁ ^Cl proceed via an exchange diffusion mechanism which seems to be located at the outer cell border. The saturating component ofJ ₁₃ ^Cl is involved in active Cl transport in an inward direction, and there is evidence suggesting that Cl uptake across outer cell border, which proceeds against an electrochemical gradient, is electroneutral but not directly linked to Na.