In view of the occurrence of hepatobiliary disorders in cystic fibrosis (CF) this study addresses the role of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and of Ca 2؉ -activated Cl ؊ channels in promoting HCO 3 ؊ secretion in bile ductular cells. Human cholangiocytes were isolated from control livers and from 1 patient with CF (⌬F508/G542X mutations). Single channel and whole cell currents were analyzed by patch clamp techniques, and HCO 3 ؊ secretion was determined by fluorometric analysis of the rate of recovery of intracellular pH following alkaline loading. In control cholangiocytes, both cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit, activated CFTR Cl ؊ channels that exhibited a nonrectifying conductance of 8 pS and appeared in clusters. Activation of Cl ؊ current by cAMP was associated with an increase in the rate of HCO 3 ؊ secretion. The basal rate of HCO 3 ؊ secretion was lower in CF than in control cholangiocytes. In both control and CF cholangiocytes, raising intracellular Ca 2؉ concentrations with ionomycin led to a parallel activation of Cl ؊ current and HCO 3 ؊ secretion. Consistent with reports that premature stop codon mutations (class I; e.g.,