Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels in the cortical collecting duct of rat

In the cortical collecting duct of the rat two Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels have been described so far. In the luminal membrane a maxi K+ channel with a single channel conductance of 139 +/- 3 pS in excised membrane patches (n = 91) at 0 mV clamp voltage and asymmetrical KCl-concentrations in pipette and bath was found, while in the basolateral membrane an intermediate conductance K+ channel (85 +/- 1 pS, n = 53) and a small K+ channel (28 +/- 2 pS, n = 15) was described. All these K+ channels had similar pharmacological properties since all could be blocked by the K+ channel inhibitors Ba2+, TEA+, and charybdotoxin. Verapamil, known as a L-type Ca2+ channel blocker, was also capable of inhibiting these K+ channels. While the maxi K+ channel from the luminal membrane was upregulated by intracellular Ca2+ (EC50: 5 microM), the small and the intermediate K+ channel from the basolateral membrane were downregulated (IC50: 10 microM). When the cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity was in the physiological range below 1 microM the activity of the maxi K+ channel was low and regulated via intracellular pH and ATP. Furthermore, when CCD cells were strongly depolarized and under hypoosmotic stress, Ca2+ rose and activated this K+ channel, indicating that this channel is involved in volume regulation. Like the maxi K+ channel the intermediate conductance K+ channel from the basolateral membrane was also sensitive to intracellular changes of pH where acidic pH inhibited while alkaline pH activated this channel. But unlike the K+ channels from the luminal membrane the K+ channel from the basolateral membrane is not regulated by ATP up to 5 mM. The activity of the K+ channels from the basolateral membrane decreased steadily after excision of the membrane. This decrease could be prevented by applying cGMP and MgATP to the bath and thus, activating a membrane-bound cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). The activation of the PKG could be reversed by its specific inhibitor KT5823 (1 microM). Due to the opposite regulation via intracellular Ca2+ and the involvement of different protein kinases a specific and independent regulation of K+ secretion and Na+ reabsorption is possible in the CCD of the rat.