Effect of calcium on ion transport and electrical properties of tracheal epithelium

Active transport of Cl- toward the tracheal lumen and Na+ away from the lumen creates an electrical potential difference across dog tracheal epithelium. This study examined in vitro the effect of varying calcium concentration in the bathing media on the ion transport and electrical properties of dog tracheal epithelium. In six pairs of epithelia, changing calcium concentration from 1.9 to 0 mM resulted in a significant decrease in electrical resistance, from 318 +/- 36 to 214 +/- 24 omega.cm2. Short-circuit current and net Cl- and Na+ fluxes measured under short-circuit conditions were not changed significantly. Changing calcium concentration from 1.9 to 10 mM resulted in no significant change from control in the electrical properties nor in net Cl- and Na+ fluxes (short-circuit conditions). Histamine (10(-4) M) produced a significantly smaller increase in short-circuit current in 0 than in 1.9 mM Ca2+ (+5 +/- 2 vs. +12 +/- 2 microamperemeter/cm2). However, electrical changes were not significantly different in 1 or 10 mM Ca2+. These results indicate that calcium lack increased permeability of tracheal epithelium and that the increase in short-circuit current due to histamine depended in part on calcium.