Electrophysiology of salamander proximal tubule. I. Effects of rapid cooling

The response of the amphibian proximal tubule to a rapid decrease in temperature was studied in isolated perfused tubules of Ambystoma tigrinum. Cooling from 23 to 4 degrees C increased paracellular and cellular electrical resistances by factors of 1.7 and 3.6, respectively, but had virtually no effect on the ionic selectivity of the paracellular pathway. When lumen and bath solutions were maintained identical by rapid tubule perfusion, decreasing bath temperature from 22 to 0 degree C in 400 ms depolarized the transepithelial potential (Vte) from -3.7 +/- 0.3 to -1.1 +/- 0.2 mV and depolarized the basolateral membrane potential (Vbl) from -52 +/- 3 to -45 +/- 3 mV (n = 12). These fast depolarizations were followed by slower depolarizations of both Vte and Vbl that continued throughout the period of low temperature. Only approximately 30% of the initial slow depolarization of Vte at low temperature could be explained by changes in electrical resistance and cell membrane potential. The remaining 70% of this Vte depolarization at low temperature is consistent with equilibration of a hypertonic interspace with isotonic lumen and bath solutions. Given the anion selectivity of Ambystoma proximal tubule, the magnitude of this slow Vte depolarization implies an interspace NaCl concentration 2-5% higher than the NaCl concentration in either the lumen or bath solutions.