Cells of confluent cultures of the established pig renal epithelial line, LLC-PK1, accumulate alpha-methyl-D-glucoside against a concentration gradient. This transport system is strongly inhibited by phlorizin and 6-deoxy-D-glucose, moderately inhibited by phloretin, and only weakly inhibited by 3-0-methyl-D-glucose, paralleling the situation in mammalian kidney. The time courses for the uptake of alpha-methyl-D-glucoside and for the carrier-mediated but passive uptake of 3-0-methyl-D-glucose are identical to those seen in mammalian kidney. Subconfluent cultures of LLC-PK1 cells are unable to accumulate alpha-methyl-D-glucoside, and their transport of this glucose analog is less sensitive to phlorizin inhibition than is the transport system in confluent cultures. Transmission electron micrographs show that cells from subconfluent cultures lack the microvillous surface seen in cells from confluent cultures. Cell density is thus a factor in the occurrence of structural and functional differentiated properties related to transport in these cells.

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1. The aerobic accumulation of various monosaccharides in slices of rabbit kidney cortex at 25 degrees was studied. 2. d-Fructose and alpha-methyl d-glucoside were readily accumulated against their concentration gradient by a phlorrhizin-sensitive Na(+)-dependent active transport. In the absence of external Na(+) the maximal rate of alpha-methyl glucoside transport was decreased tenfold, the K(m) of entry into the cells (8.2mm) not being affected. Phlorrhizin and d-galactose inhibited the entry of alpha-methyl glucoside also in the absence of external Na(+). 3. d-Xylose, 6-deoxy-d-glucose and 6-deoxy-d-galactose were poorly accumulated ([S](i)/[S](o) ratios slightly above 1.0); this transport was inhibited by phlorrhizin and by the absence of Na(+). 4. 3-O-Methyl-d-glucose, d-arabinose and l-arabinose were not actively transported, [S](i)/[S](o) ratios never exceeding 1.0. 5. 2-Deoxy-d-glucose and 2-deoxy-d-galactose were readily accumulated against a high concentration gradient, this transport being Na(+)-independent and only slightly sensitive to phlorrhizin. External Na(+) was not required for an inhibitory action of phlorrhizin and d-galactose on the entry of 2-deoxy-d-galactose into the cells. 6. Interference for entry into the cells between the following saccharides was found: d-galactose inhibited alpha-methyl d-glucoside transport; d-xylose entry was inhibited by d-glucose; d-galactose transport was inhibited by d-xylose; a mutual interference between d-galactose and its 2-deoxy analogue was found. 7. It is concluded that d-glucose, d-galactose, alpha-methyl d-glucoside, d-xylose and possibly also some other monosaccharides share a common active transport system. 8. The specificity of the Na(+)-dependent phlorrhizin-sensitive active transport system for monosaccharides in kidney-cortex cells differs from that in intestinal epithelial cells.

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