Segmental heterogeneity of swelling-induced Cl transport in rat small intestine

The effect of cell swelling induced by hypotonic media was studied in segments of rat small intestine. In the Ussing chamber, exposure to a hypotonic medium caused a decrease in short-circuit current (I _sc) and potential difference (V ^ms) in the jejunum, whereas the ileum responded with an increase in I _sc and V ^ms. The transition from one pattern to the other was located about in the middle of the small intestine. Tissue conductance decreased in both segments, probably due to a reduction of paracellular shunt conductance induced by the cell swelling. Voltage scanning experiments revealed that the observed decrease in total tissue conductance in the ileum was caused solely by a decrease in local conductance in the villus region while the crypt conductance did not change, suggesting that the decrease in paracellular conductance of the crypts is compensated by an increase in cellular conductance. The response in both segments was dependent on the presence of Cl⁻ and was blocked by the Cl⁻ channel blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB). It was not affected by the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin. In the jejunum the swelling-induced decrease in I _sc was reduced in the presence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, or the lipoxygenase inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid. In the ileum the Cl⁻ secretion induced by hypotonicity was blocked by the K⁺ channel blocker quinine and was reversed into a decrease in I _sc when serosal Ca²⁺ was zero. We conclude that the observed volume regulatory changes are initiated in the jejunum by an eicosanoid-mediated opening of basolateral Cl⁻ channels and in the ileum by a Ca²⁺-mediated opening of K⁺ channels which enhances apical Cl⁻ efflux. Received: 27 June 1995/Received after revision: 8 December 1995/Accepted: 28 December 1995