Glucose metabolism in dog inner medullary collecting ducts

The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generating pathways of dog inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD) were examined in vitro using suspensions of dog IMCD tubules incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Glucose is always the preferred substrate for this tissue, even if lactate can be oxidized under aerobic conditions. The metabolism of glucose proceeds largely towards lactate accumulation in the presence or absence of oxygen. Glycogen is also consumed and more markedly so during anoxia. The pentose shunt represents a minor pathway for glucose metabolism in this tissue. Under aerobic conditions, the net oxidation of glucose to CO2 contributes significantly to the cell energetics, mitochondrial and cytoplasmic mechanisms sharing equally the ATP synthesis. In the absence of oxygen, only the cytoplasmic routes of ATP synthesis are used, but the apparent ATP turnover is markedly reduced. A marked inhibition of the activity of the Na-K-ATPase during anoxia explains this observation. The utilization of glucose for osmolyte synthesis is a minor process and appears to be suppressed under anaerobic conditions. It is concluded that the ATP turnover is low in dog IMCD cells as compared with that of other nephron segments and is largely dependent upon glucose availability under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.