AJP - GI AJP: Endocrinology and Metabolism
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 256: G826-G832, 1989;
0193-1857/89 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Weinman, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by Boyer, J. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Weinman, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by Boyer, J. L.

AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 256, Issue 5 826-G832, Copyright © 1989 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Voltage-driven, taurocholate-dependent secretion in isolated hepatocyte couplets

S. A. Weinman, J. Graf and J. L. Boyer
Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

Bile formation by the liver is largely dependent on the transport of bile acids by hepatocytes. This process is thought to result from Na-coupled uptake of bile acids into the cell and voltage-dependent, carrier-mediated transport from cell to canaliculus. However, the dependence of bile secretion on membrane potential has not yet been observed. In this study, the effect of changes in membrane potential differences on bile secretion was tested by impaling rat hepatocyte couplets with microelectrodes, changing membrane potential by intracellular current injection, and measuring fluid secretion by optically determining canalicular size. In the presence of 50 microM taurocholate, membrane potential was -33.3 +/- 5.8 mV and canalicular area increased by 6 +/- 6%/min, corresponding to a fluid secretion rate of 2-4 fl/min. In contrast, when intracellular voltage was suddenly changed to -109.9 +/- 15.0 mV, the canalicular area increased by 20 +/- 4%/min, corresponding to a secretion rate of 19 fl/min. When these experiments were repeated in the absence of taurocholate, the negative clamp had no effect on canalicular size. Taurocholate itself did not alter membrane potential. These findings support the hypothesis that canalicular bile secretion depends on a process equivalent to electrodiffusion. We therefore conclude that membrane voltage is a driving force for taurocholate-dependent fluid secretion by the liver.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol.Home page
F. Wehner and H. Tinel
Uptake of bromosulfophthalein via SO2-4/OH- exchange increases the K+ conductance of rat hepatocytes
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, June 1, 1999; 276(6): G1380 - G1390.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online