Bicarbonate transport in cortical and outer medullary collecting tubules

The collecting ducts are thought to represent a low-capacity high-gradient acidification system. However, the inaccessibility of the various regions of the collecting duct system has prevented direct segmental analysis of its contribution to distal acidification. The present in vitro microperfusion studies compare bicarbonate transport (in pmol . mm-1 . min-1) in rabbit cortical (CCT) and outer medullary collecting tubules (MCT) perfused and bathed with symmetrical Ringer bicarbonate solution at pH 7.4. Cortical segments from normal animals exhibited no net bicarbonate transport (-2.15 +/- 1.93) whereas MCT from normal animals reabsorbed bicarbonate at a rate of 11.3 +/- 1.4. Both bicarbonate reabsorption and the lumen-positive voltage (+9.4 +/- 1.1 mV) in MCT were totally inhibited by 10(-4) M acetazolamide. CCT from NH4Cl-treated rabbits demonstrated significant bicarbonate reabsorption (1.8 +/- 0.7) when perfused at slow rates. CCT harvested from animals given a NaHCO3 load for 48 h prior to death secreted bicarbonate (-6.2 +/- 2.5). These studies confirm earlier observations of the ability of the CCT to reabsorb or secrete bicarbonate. In addition, they demonstrate significant axial heterogeneity in acidification in the collecting duct system and identify the outer medullary collecting tubule from inner stripe of outer medulla as a segment of major capacity.