Characterization of volume-sensitive organic osmolyte efflux and anion current in Xenopus oocytes

Cell swelling activates an outwardly rectifying anion current in numerous mammalian cell types. An extensive body of evidence indicates that the channel responsible for this current is the major pathway for volume regulatory organic osmolyte loss. Cell swelling also activates an outwardly rectifying anion current in Xenopus oocytes. Unlike mammalian cells, oocytes allow the direct study of both swelling-activated anion current and organic osmolyte efflux under nearly identical experimental conditions. We therefore exploited the unique properties of oocytes in order to examine further the relationship between anion channel activity and swelling-activated organic osmolyte transport. Swelling-activated anion current and organic osmolyte efflux were studied in parallel in batches of oocytes obtained from single frogs. The magnitude of swelling-activated anion current and organic osmolyte efflux exhibited a positive linear correlation. In addition, the two processes had similar pharmacological characteristics and activation, rundown and reactivation kinetics. The present study provides further strong support for the concept that the channel responsible for swelling-activated Cl- efflux and the outwardly rectifying anion conductance is also the major pathway by which organic osmolytes are lost from vertebrate cells during regulatory volume decrease.