AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 269, Issue 3 453-G457, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Bicarbonate diffusion through mucus

E. H. Livingston, J. Miller and E. Engel
Surgical and Research Services, West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California 90073, USA.

The mucus layer overlying duodenal epithelium maintains a pH gradient against high luminal acid concentrations. Despite these adverse conditions, epithelial surface pH remains close to neutrality. The exact nature of the gradient-forming barrier remains unknown. The barrier consists of mucus into which HCO3- is secreted. Quantification of the ability of HCO3- to establish and maintain the gradient depends on accurate measurement of this ion's diffusion coefficient through mucus. We describe new experimental and mathematical methods for diffusion measurement and report diffusion coefficients for HCO3- diffusion through saline, 5% mucin solutions, and rat duodenal mucus. The diffusion coefficients were 20.2 +/- 0.10, 3.02 +/- 0.31, and 1.81 +/- 0.12 x 10(-6) cm2/s, respectively. Modeling of the mucobicarbonate layer with this latter value suggests that for conditions of high luminal acid strength the neutralization of acid by HCO3- occurs just above the epithelial surface. Under these conditions the model predicts that fluid convection toward the lumen could be important in maintaining the pH gradient. In support of this hypothesis we were able to demonstrate a net luminal fluid flux of 5 microliters.min-1.cm-2 after perfusion of 0.15 N HCl in the rat duodenum.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Flemstrom, A. Hallgren, O. Nylander, L. Engstrand, E. Wilander, and A. Allen Adherent surface mucus gel restricts diffusion of macromolecules in rat duodenum in vivo Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, August 1, 1999; 277(2): G375 - G382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]