scholarly journals Apical maxi-K (KCa1.1) channels mediate K+ secretion by the mouse submandibular exocrine gland

2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (3) ◽  
pp. C810-C819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsuji Nakamoto ◽  
Victor G. Romanenko ◽  
Atsushi Takahashi ◽  
Ted Begenisich ◽  
James E. Melvin

The exocrine salivary glands of mammals secrete K+ by an unknown pathway that has been associated with HCO3− efflux. However, the present studies found that K+ secretion in the mouse submandibular gland did not require HCO3−, demonstrating that neither K+/HCO3− cotransport nor K+/H+ exchange mechanisms were involved. Because HCO3− did not appear to participate in this process, we tested whether a K channel is required. Indeed, K+ secretion was inhibited >75% in mice with a null mutation in the maxi-K, Ca2+-activated K channel (KCa1.1) but was unchanged in mice lacking the intermediate-conductance IKCa1 channel (KCa3.1). Moreover, paxilline, a specific maxi-K channel blocker, dramatically reduced the K+ concentration in submandibular saliva. The K+ concentration of saliva is well known to be flow rate dependent, the K+ concentration increasing as the flow decreases. The flow rate dependence of K+ secretion was nearly eliminated in K Ca 1.1 null mice, suggesting an important role for KCa1.1 channels in this process as well. Importantly, a maxi-K-like current had not been previously detected in duct cells, the theoretical site of K+ secretion, but we found that KCa1.1 channels localized to the apical membranes of both striated and excretory duct cells, but not granular duct cells, using immunohistochemistry. Consistent with this latter observation, maxi-K currents were not detected in granular duct cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the secretion of K+ requires and is likely mediated by KCa1.1 potassium channels localized to the apical membranes of striated and excretory duct cells in the mouse submandibular exocrine gland.

Author(s):  
Dwight K. Romanovicz ◽  
Jacob S. Hanker

The presence of catalase-positive rods (Fig. 1) of different dimensions, which frequently have a crystalline appearance by light microscopy, has been reported. They seem to be related to peroxisomes which were characterized morphologically and cytochemically in parotid and other exocrine glands of the rat by Hand in 1973. Our light microscopic studies of these spherical microbodies and rods of different sizes, stained by virtue of the peroxidatic activity of their catalase, indicate that they are almost entirely confined to the cells of the striated and execretory ducts of the submandibular gland in the mouse. The rods were usually noted only in the proximity of the ductal microbodies. The latter frequently showed a tendency to appear in linear close array, or even to be contiguous (Fig. 2). This suggested that the rods could be formed by the fusion of microbodies.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1482
Author(s):  
Viktor N. Tomilin ◽  
Kyrylo Pyrshev ◽  
Naghmeh Hassanzadeh Khayyat ◽  
Oleg Zaika ◽  
Oleh Pochynyuk

Kidneys play a central role in regulation of potassium homeostasis and maintenance of plasma K+ levels within a narrow physiological range. With-no-lysine (WNK) kinases, specifically WNK1 and WNK4, have been recognized to regulate K+ balance, in part, by orchestrating maxi K+ channel (BK)-dependent K+ secretion in the aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron (ASDN), which includes the connecting tubule and collecting duct. We recently demonstrated that the Ca2+-permeable TRPV4 channel is essential for BK activation in the ASDN. Furthermore, high K+ diet increases TRPV4 activity and expression largely in an aldosterone-dependent manner. In the current study, we aimed to test whether WNK kinases contribute to regulation of TRPV4 activity and its stimulation by aldosterone. Systemic inhibition of WNK with WNK463 (1 mg/kgBW for 3 days) markedly decreased TRPV4-dependent Ca2+ influx in freshly isolated split-opened collecting ducts. Aldosterone greatly increased TRPV4 activity and expression in cultured mpkCCDc14 cells and this effect was abolished in the presence of WNK463. Selective inhibition of WNK1 with WNK-in-11 (400 nM, 24 h) recapitulated the effects of WNK463 on TRPV4-dependent Ca2+ influx. Interestingly, WNK-in-11 did not interfere with up-regulation of TRPV4 expression by aldosterone, but prevented translocation of the channel to the apical plasma membrane. Furthermore, co-expression of TRPV4 and WNK1 into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells increased the macroscopic TRPV4-dependent cation currents. In contrast, over-expression of TRPV4 with a dominant negative WNK1 variant (K233M) decreased the whole-cell currents, suggesting both stimulatory and permissive roles of WNK1 in regulation of TRPV4 activity. Overall, we show that WNK1 is essential for setting functional TRPV4 expression in the ASDN at the baseline and in response to aldosterone. We propose that this new mechanism contributes to regulation of K+ secretion and, by extension, urinary K+ levels to maintain systemic potassium homeostasis.


1997 ◽  
Vol 504 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Wickenden ◽  
R. Kaprielian ◽  
T. G. Parker ◽  
O. T. Jones ◽  
P. H. Backx

1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (4) ◽  
pp. C975-C989 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Rae ◽  
M. A. Watsky

Single-channel patch-clamp techniques as well as standard and perforated-patch whole cell voltage-clamp techniques have been applied to the study of ionic channels in the corneal endothelium of several species. These studies have revealed two major K+ currents. One is due to an anion- and temperature-stimulated channel that is blocked by Cs+ but not by most other K+ channel blockers, and the other is similar to the family of A-currents found in excitable cells. The A-current is transient after a depolarizing voltage step and is blocked by both 4-aminopyridine and quinidine. These two currents are probably responsible for setting the -50 to -60 mV resting voltage reported for these cells. A Ca(2+)-activated ATP-inhibited nonselective cation channel and a tetrodotoxin-blocked Na+ channel are possible Na+ inflow pathways, but, given their gating properties, it is not certain that either channel works under physiological conditions. A large-conductance anion channel has also been identified by single-channel patch-clamp techniques. Single corneal endothelial cells have input resistances of 5-10 G omega and have steady-state K+ currents that are approximately 10 pA at the resting voltage. Pairs or monolayers of cells are electrically coupled and dye coupled through gap junctions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 417 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 1191-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Konys ◽  
W. Krauss ◽  
H. Steiner ◽  
J. Novotny ◽  
A. Skrypnik

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (2) ◽  
pp. F275-F285 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. McNicholas ◽  
Y. Yang ◽  
G. Giebisch ◽  
S. C. Hebert

ATP-sensitive, inwardly rectifying K+ channels are present in apical membranes of the distal nephron and play a major role in K+ recycling and secretion. The cloned renal K+ channel, ROMK1, is a candidate for the renal epithelial K+ channel, since it shares many functional characteristics with the native channel. Additionally, ROMK1 contains a putative carboxy-terminal ATP-binding site. Although ROMK1 channel activity could be reactivated by cytosolic Mg-ATP after rundown, the role of nucleotides in channel gating was less certain. We now show that an alternatively spliced transcript of the ROMK channel gene, ROMK2, which encodes a K+ channel with a truncated amino terminus, expresses an ATP-regulated and ATP-sensitive K+ channel (IKATP). Differences in the amino terminus of ROMK isoforms alters the sensitivity of the channel-gating mechanism to ATP. To test whether ATP sensitivity of renal IKATP is mediated by direct interaction of nucleotide, point mutation of specific residues within the ROMK2 phosphate loop (P-loop) were investigated. These either enhanced or attenuated the sensitivity to both activation and inhibition by Mg-ATP, thus demonstrating a direct interaction of nucleotide with the channel-forming polypeptide.


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