S. Dijkstra et al., A CELLULAR PATHWAY FOR CL- DURING FLUID SECRETION IN ANT MALPIGHIAN TUBULES - EVIDENCE FROM ION-SENSITIVE MICROELECTRODE STUDIES, Journal of insect physiology, 41(8), 1995, pp. 695-703
Fluid secretion by ant Malpighian tubules is driven by active K+-trans
port, Chloride follows passively, Using voltage- and ion-sensitive (K,Cl-) microelectrodes, electrochemical driving forces were estimated i
n control conditions (51 K+, 143 Cl- in mmol/l and in slow (low bath-K
+ or Cl-) or fast (cAMP present) fluid secretion conditions, Low bath-
Cl- (14 mmol/l sulphate-substitution) reduced cell-Cl- to 49% and lumi
nal Cl- to 19% of the control values, Membrane potentials and K+ conce
ntrations were not affected, if bath K+-activity was kept constant, Pa
ssive Cl--driving forces turned cell-outward basally but were still lu
men-directed across the luminal and transepithelial barriers, In Cl--f
ree solution secretion dropped to 30% of control, When compared to con
trol conditions (''100%'') low bath-K+ (5 mmol/l; Na+-substitution) ca
used a drop in the cellular and luminal concentration of K+ (to 50 and
72%, respectively) and of Cl- (to 57 and 91%, respectively), Basal me
mbrane potential(V-bl) hyperpolarized and the Cl--driving force turned
cell-outward but was still lumen-directed luminally and transepitheli
ally. Fluid secretion dropped to 70%, (3) In control solution a membra
ne-permeant cAMP analogue depolarized the luminal and transepithelial
potential and collapsed the Cl--driving forces, although secretion was
increased, V-bl and the basal inward driving force were not affected,
The anion-channel blocker DIDS (1 mmol/l) reduced fluid secretion rat
e by 40%, both in the absence and presence of cAMP, The results may be
understood by assuming parallel and ''shunt'' pathways for Cl-: In hi
gh-K+/Cl-, the cellular pathway may be conductive, poorly selective, r
egulated by cAMP and DIDS-sensitive. In low-k(+)/Cl-, a basal cation/C
l- symport may mediate basal Cl- uptake.