Water and ion transport by the urinary bladder of the teleost Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Water and ion transport by the isolated teleost urinary bladder were studied. The transepithelial electrical PD across sac-type bladder preparations was unstable, i.e., initially mucosa positive but becoming more negative with time. Perfused bladders maintained a low mucosa positive PD which was stable. Both Na and Cl appeared to be actively transported from mucosal side (M) to serosal side (S). Voltage clamping the bladder at 0, -50, or +50 mV had almost no effect on active or passive Na or Cl flux in either direction. Na and Cl transport seemed electrically neutral. Fluid absorption (M to S) was directly correlated with absorption of osmotically active solutes. These solutes were almost all Na and Cl. The bladder acidified and secreted K+ into the mucosal fluid. Divalent ions were concentrated in the mucosal fluid as a result of fluid absorption. Although furosemide and ethacrynic acid inhibited ion and water transport by the bladder, ouabain was effective at a much lower concentration. Ouabain (10(-4) M) inhibited active Na transport when applied only to the mucosal or only to the serosal surface. Ouabain abolished the PD only from the serosal surface.