Differential effects of aldosterone and ADH on intracellular electrolytes in the toad urinary bladder epithelium

Quantitative electron microprobe analysis was employed to compare the effects of aldosterone and ADH on the intracellular electrolyte concentrations in the toad urinary bladder epithelium. The measurements were performed on thin freeze-dried cryosections utilizing energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis. After aldosterone, a statistically significant increase in the intracellular Na concentration was detectable in 8 out of 9 experiments. The mean Na concentration of granular cells increased from 8.9 +/- 1.3 to 13.2 +/- 2.2 mmol/kg wet wt. A significantly larger Na increase was observed after an equivalent stimulation of transepithelial Na transport by ADH. On average, the Na concentration in granular cells increased from 12.0 +/- 2.3 to 31.4 +/- 9.3 mmol/kg wet wt (5 experiments). We conclude from these results that aldosterone, in addition to its stimulatory effect on the apical Na influx, also exerts a stimulatory effect on the Na pump. Based on a significant reduction in the Cl concentration of granular cells, we discuss the possibility that the stimulation of the pump is mediated by an aldosterone-induced alkalinization. Similar though less pronounced concentration changes were observed in basal cells, suggesting that this cell type also participates in transepithelial Na transport. Measurements in mitochondria-rich cells provided no consistent results.