Epithelial transport parameters: an analysis of experimental strategies

A set of experiments was simulated on a computer version of the Koefoed-Johnsen & Ussing model for high-resistance epithelia. The results obtained were analysed according to procedures commonly applied to the analyses of experimental data and interpreted in terms of the model parameters. Although the computer model encodes a stoichiometry of 3:2 for Na-K exchange through the Na pump, the simulation of published experimental procedures yields different figures in almost every case. We show that ENa as originally defined by Ussing & Zerahn (Acta physiol. scand. 23, 110-127 (1951)) and as obtained from flux-ratio experiments has different values under different experimental conditions with unchanged system parameters and that it is distinct from ENa measured by other methods. We also show that unless the pump is saturated with internal Na an increase in the rate of pumping cannot cause a substantial increase in the rate of transepithelial Na transport.