Osmotic water permeability of the apical membrane of proximal straight tubular (PST) cells

Osmotic steps, C, were produced across the apical cell membrane of isolated rabbit PST by perfusing their lumens with double barreled micropipettes at a rate of 0.5–0.8 nl/s. C=15–46 mOsmolar were induced with mannitol. Changes in luminal diameter were recorded as a function of time with a TV camera and an integrator-processor system with space and time resolutions of 0.03 m and 0.0167 s (3). The tubules were bathed with oil. Outer tubule diameter was time invariant. P _os ^ca , the apical cell osmotic permeability was therefore calculated from cell volume changes with time in units of 10^–4 cm³/cm². s. Osmolar. P _os ^ca was independent of C. The mean is 22.8±1.3 (n=55). With a basolateral permeability of 50.4 (3,12), the transcellular permeability is 14 (same units) smaller than the transepithelial values available. This leads to the conclusion that a significant paracellular water osmotic permeability must exist.