Purification of distinct plasma membranes from canine renal medulla

Two types of plasma membrane were purified from canine distal renal medulla by the techniques of differential and zonal density-gradient centrifugation followed by free-flow electrophoresis. One group of plasma membranes was identified as basal-laterally derived based on a 30-fold enrichment of Na-K-ATPase, a 20-fold enrichment of vasopressin-stimulated adenylate cyclase, and a 33-fold enrichment of [3H]vasopressin binding sites. The second type of plasma membrane was free of these markers, but had a cholesterol and phospholipid composition similar to them. Alkaline phosphatase also had a similar distribution in the two fractions. This lighter membrane fraction contained a membrane-bound cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase as well as substrate for this kinase. In addition there was a 26-fold enrichment of specific activity of an anion (SO32-)-activated ATPase which was insensitive to mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor protein, in contrast to the mitochondrial fraction of the tissue. Based on the relative preponderance of collecting duct tissue in the distal medulla and the yield of membrane protein, these membranes are tentatively identified as containing apical membranes of the collecting duct.