Ionic currents induced by cell swelling were characterized in primary cultures of rabbit distal bright convoluted tubule (DCTb) by the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Cl− currents were produced spontaneously by whole cell recording with an isotonic pipette solution or by exposure to a hypotonic stress. Initial Cl− currents exhibited outwardly rectifying current-voltage relationship, whereas steady-state currents showed strong decay with depolarizing pulses. The ion selectivity sequence was I−= Br− > Cl− ≫ glutamate. Currents were inhibited by 0.1 mM 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid and 1 mM 4,4′-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid and strongly blocked by 1 mM diphenylamine-2-carboxylate. Currents were insensitive to intracellular Ca2+but required the presence of extracellular Ca2+. They were not activated in cells pretreated with 200 nM staurosporine, 50 μM LaCl3, 10 μM nifedipine, 100 μM verapamil, 5 μM tamoxifen, and 50 μM dideoxyforskolin. Staurosporine, tamoxifen, verapamil, or the absence of external Ca2+ was without effect on the fully developed Cl−currents. Osmotic shock also activated K+ currents in Cl−-free conditions. These currents were time independent, activated at depolarized potentials, and inhibited by 5 mM BaCl2. The activation of Cl− and K+ currents by an osmotic shock may be implicated in regulatory volume decrease in DCTb cells.

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Biochemical and kinetic characteristics of the Na+-K+ exchange were studied in Paracentrotus lividus eggs. Measurement of the 86Rb uptake shows that ouabain-sensitive 86Rb uptake is dramatically stimulated within the first minute following fertilization. The Na+-K+ pump-mediated K+ entry presents a maximal rate at 8 min postfertilization and then decreases to reach a plateau within 30 min. We assess that the steep rise in cell K+ occurring at fertilization (J.P. Girard, P. Payan, C. Sardet, Exp. Cell. Res. 142:215-221, 1982) does not originate from a net entry of external K+. Measured 30 min postfertilization, the half-maximal activation by K+ of the ouabain-sensitive Na+-K+ exchange is 5-6 mM and the ouabain IC50 is 5.10(-5) M. Egg cortices from unfertilized and fertilized eggs show comparable Na+-K+ ATPase activity with a 50% ouabain-sensitive fraction. Vm and Km for Na+ and K+ of the enzyme are of the same order of magnitude in cortices of unfertilized and fertilized eggs. Cortical Na+-K+ ATPase from unfertilized eggs shows a ten fold increase of activity between pH 6.7 and pH 7.7. The results strongly suggest that the plasma membrane of unfertilized eggs contains a preexisting Na+-K+ transporting system which is obligatorily stimulated at fertilization.

Experiments were performed to characterize the P2 purinoceptor subtype responsible for cytoplasmic calcium mobilization in cells from the initial part of rabbit distal convoluted tubule (DCT). Free calcium concentration was measured in a DCT cell line (DC1) with the probe fura 2. Both ATP and UTP increased cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i); EC(50) 3 and 6 microM, respectively). The order of potency for nucleotide analogs was ATP = UTP > adenosine 5'-O-[thiotriphosphate] >> ADP > UDP, which is consistent with the pharmacology of the P2Y2 receptor subtype. The increased [Ca(2+)](i) responses to ATP and UTP were strongly inhibited by suramin. Pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin (PTX) attenuated the action of both nucleotides. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U-73122 totally blocked the [Ca(2+)](i) response to ATP. Thus ATP- and UTP-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization in DC1 cells appears to be mediated via the activation of P2Y2 purinoceptors coupled to a G protein mechanism that is partially sensitive to PTX. Calcium flux measurements showed that lanthanum- and nifedipine-sensitive calcium channels are involved in the [Ca(2+)](i) response to ATP.