Dietary potassium modulates active potassium absorption and secretion in rat distal colon

To determine the effect of variations in body stores of potassium on the rate of active potassium transport in the large intestine, unidirectional 42K fluxes were performed under short-circuit conditions across isolated distal colonic mucosa of control, dietary potassium-depleted and dietary potassium-loaded rats. Potassium depletion stimulated net potassium absorption (JK net) (0.87 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.49 +/- 0.04 mu eq X h-1 X cm-2, P less than 0.025) due to a 40% increase in mucosal-to-serosal potassium transport (JK m----s). In sodium-free Ringer solution JK net in the potassium-depleted group was also significantly greater than in controls (1.93 +/- 0.26 vs. 1.01 +/- 0.11 mu eq X h-1 X cm-2, P less than 0.005). In contrast, in chloride-free Ringer solution JK net was identical in the control and potassium-depleted groups (0.39 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.46 +/- 0.07 mu eq X h-1 X cm-2, P = NS). Potassium loading reversed net potassium absorption to net potassium secretion (-0.76 +/- 0.08 mu eq X h-1 X cm-2, P less than 0.001) as the result of a decrease in JK m----s and an increase in serosal-to-mucosal potassium transport (JK s----m). Net potassium secretion was abolished in the absence of either sodium or chloride from the bathing solution but not by mucosal amiloride. In sodium-free Ringer solution JK net was similar in control and potassium-loaded groups, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)