Effect of current direction and K+ on polarization of the frog gastric mucosa proton pump

When current was sent from serosa (S) to mucosa (M) across the frog stomach, there was a polarization (POL) of the open circuit potential (OCPD). POL was not affected by NaCl-free solutions, but was decreased by inhibitors of the H+ pump. In present experiments, current was sent to clamp the PD (VC) across the mucosa in steps of 20 mV up to 100 mV below the control OCPD, that is, current was sent from M to S. All experiments were performed in NaCl-free solutions. The POL was expressed as a % of the difference between the VC PD and the control OCPD. In 4 mM K+ control solutions, the POL was 11.8%; with 10(-3) M omeprazole (H+/K+ pump inhibitor), 1.1; with 10(-5) M SCH 28080 (H+/K+ pump inhibitor), 3.6; with 10(-3) M famotidine (H2 blocker), 1.6; and with 10(-2) M SCN-, 25.4 (inhibition of H+ sec, but not of the pump); in 79 mM K+ control solutions, 26.2; with 10(-3) M omeprazole, 4.2; with 10(-5) M SCH 28080, 15.9; with 10(-3) M famotidine, 5.6; and with 10(-2) M SCN-, 29.9. POL was higher in high K+ than in low K+ solutions contrary to what was observed in previous experiments with current sent from S to M. Results are explained on the basis of an electrogenic H+/K(+)-ATPase pump which includes a H+ channel, permeable to K+. With high K+ solutions, K+ is driven through the H+ channel onto the antiporter (ATPase) when current is sent from M to S, resulting in a greater POL of the pump.