ION CHANNELS IN HUMAN RENAL BIOPSIES

Ion channels in renal tubules have not as yet been reported in man. We have sought these in fragments of renal biopsies performed for routin e clinical purposes on hospitalized patients. Tubular fragments dissec ted from biopsy tissue were frequently found to lack a basement membra ne. Patch clamp of the tubular fragments revealed basolateral potassiu m channels, and both apical and basolateral non-selective cation chann els. Measurement of ion channel characteristics in renal tissue could conceivably broaden the diagnostic value of routine renal biopsy.