CHLORIDE CHANNELS OF INTRACELLULAR ORGANELLES

Chloride channels are present in a variety of intracellular organelles (Golgi, endosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, and sarcoplasmic reticulum) where they serve largely to shunt the membrane potential created by o ther ion-translocating processes. Electrophysiological studies have sh own that the Cl- channels of the endoplasmic and sarcoplasmic reticula facilitate the efflux of Ca2+. In the Golgi and some endosomes, the o pen Cl- channels (probably the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductan ce regulator) favor accumulation of H+.