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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

In Vitro Method to Control Concentrations of Halogenated Gases in Cultured Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Published on: October 23, 2018
[Effect of terbutaline on sodium transport in alveolar type I and type II cells]
Jian-guang Xu1, Tao-ping Li, Pei Wang
1Department of Sleep Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. hyl_0202@163.com
Objective:
To explore the effect of terbutaline on sodium transport in rat alveolar type I (ATI) and type II (ATII) cells of rats.
Methods:
The whole cell currents were recorded from ATII cells isolated from rat lungs perfused with or without amiloride (inhibitor of epithelial sodium channel) and ZnCl(2) (inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel) in the whole cell recording mode using the patch-clamp technique. The effect of terbutaline on the currents was examined.
Results:
The main currents recorded from ATII cells were amiloride-sensitive and Zn(2+)-sensitive. The amiloride-sensitive and Zn(2+)-sensitive current shared a similar proportion (P>0.05). Both currents could be significantly increased by terbutaline (P<0.05), and the proportion of amiloride-sensitive current was 1.7 times that of Zn(2+)-sensitive current (P<0.05).
Conclusion:
There are functional epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) and cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channels (CNG) on freshly isolated ATII cells, both serving as the main channels for sodium transport. Terbutaline increases the absorption of alveolar fluid primarily by increasing sodium transport of ENaC and CNG on ATI and AT II cells.
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