Osmolar influences on urinary acidification and metabolism in the Colombian toad bladder

An increase in the osmolarity of the serosal fluid bathing the isolated toad bladder inhibits sodium transport across the preparation. Opposite effects occur with a decrease in serosal Ringer osmolarity. The present experiments investigate the specificity of these osmolar effects by examining the role of extracellular fluid tonicity on the acidification capacity of the isolated Colombian toad bladder. Acidification, estimated by the reversed short-circuit current (RSCC) developing across the Colombian toad bladder in the absence of sodium transport, was stimulated by serosal hypotonicity and inhibited by serosal hypertonicity of acetazolamide. Changes in the mucosal Ringer tonicity had no effect on RSCC. A direct correlation was found between the acidification process and the rate of oxidation of [14C]pyruvate by quarter-bladders exposed to changes in extracellular fluid osmolarity in the presence of amiloride. The osmolar effects on RSCC may result from changes in cell metabolism.