tyrate, a relatively poor metabolized short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), induces HCO 3 secretion via a Cl-independent, DIDS-insensitive, carrier-mediated process as well as inhibiting both Cl-dependent and cAMP-induced HCO 3 secretion. The mechanism(s) responsible for these processes have not been well characterized. HCO3 secretion was measured in isolated colonic mucosa mounted in Lucite chambers using pH stat technique and during microperfusion of isolated colonic crypts.14 C-labeled butyrate, 14 C-labeled isobutyrate, and 36 Cl uptake were also determined by apical membrane vesicles (AMV) isolated from surface and/or crypt cells. Butyrate stimulation of Cl-independent, DIDS-insensitive 5-nitro-3-(3-phenylpropyl-amino)benzoic acid-insensitive HCO 3 secretion is greater than that by isobutyrate, suggesting that both SCFA transport and metabolism are critical for HCO 3 secretion. Both lumen and serosal 25 mM butyrate inhibit cAMP-induced HCO3 secretion to a comparable degree (98 vs. 90%). In contrast, Cl-dependent HCO3 secretion is downregulated by lumen 25 mM butyrate considerably more than by serosal butyrate (98 vs. 37%). Butyrate did not induce HCO 3 secretion in isolated microperfused crypts, whereas an outward-directed HCO3 gradient-driven induced 14 C-butyrate uptake by surface but not crypt cell AMV. Both 36 Cl/HCO3 exchange and potential-dependent 36 Cl movement in AMV were inhibited by 96 -98% by 20 mM butyrate. We conclude that 1) SCFA-dependent HCO 3 secretion is the result of SCFA transport across the apical membrane via a SCFA/HCO3 exchange more than intracellular SCFA metabolism; 2) SCFA-dependent HCO3 secretion is most likely a result of an apical membrane SCFA/HCO3 exchange in surface epithelial cells; 3) SCFA downregulates Cldependent and cAMP-induced HCO 3 secretion secondary to SCFA inhibition of apical membrane Cl/HCO3 exchange and anion channel activity, respectively. Cl/HCO3 exchange; short-chain fatty acid/HCO3 exchange; anion channel; pH stat; colonic mucosa SHORT-CHAIN FATTY ACIDS (SCFA) are the primary anion in stool, are not normal dietary constituents, but are synthesized from nonabsorbed carbohydrates by colonic bacteria (5). Of the numerous SCFA, acetate, propionate, and butyrate have the highest fecal concentrations. Butyrate is often considered the most important because it is the principal colonocyte nutrient (33). Critical roles for SCFA have been identified in both health and disease, and SCFA have multiple effects on ion transport in colonocytes (6,10,18,20).In vivo perfusion of the colon with SCFA has been associated with HCO 3 secretion (1, 2, 34, 41). Although relatively little is known about the SCFA-dependent HCO 3 secretion, recent studies indicate that SCFA induce HCO 3 secretion via a Cl-independent, DIDS-insensitive process that probably involves an apical membrane SCFA/HCO 3 exchange (42). Because SCFA could stimulate HCO 3 secretion as a result of their membrane transport and/or metabolism, these initial studies were performed with a poorly metabolized SCFA, isobutyrat...