Ion transport by neonatal rabbit distal colon

The neonatal small intestine is characterized by electrical conductance and permeability to ions higher than in the corresponding adult intestine. To investigate whether this property of the neonate is limited to the small intestine, or extends to the colon, a modified Ussing chamber for determination of transmucosal potential difference (PD), short-circuit current (Isc), transepithelial conductance (Gt), and ion fluxes in the neonatal rabbit distal colon was constructed. After care to reduce edge damage, Gt for the neonatal colon was found to be 8.4 +/- 0.3 mS . cm2 and for adult colon in the same chamber, 7.4 +/- 0.5 (P greater than 0.05). Net Na and Cl fluxes under short-circuit conditions were similar to those obtained in adult colon. Unidirectional ion fluxes were also similar to those of the adult. Net Na flux (JNanet) was incompletely inhibited by 10(-4) M of amiloride. Response to replacement of Na, Cl, and HCO3-, respectively, in the bathing solutions was not different from that expected in adult rabbit colon. Thus differences between adult and neonatal rabbit colon were small, and the increased conductance and unidirectional ion fluxes characteristic of the neonatal small intestine were not evident in the neonatal rabbit distal colon.