Ionic fluxes in isolated epithelial cells of the abdominal skin of the frog Leptodactylus ocellatus.

Unidirectional ion fluxes are measured in cells isolated by a trypsination-dissection method from the epithelium of the frog Leptodactylus ocellatus. Potassium seems to be contained in a single cellular compartment. The influx of potassium is 0.0068 mumole min-1 mg-1 of dry weight and is carried by a ouabain-sensitive pump. Sodium seems to be contained in two cellular compartments, one of which does not exchange its Na within the experimental period. The possibility that these compartments reflect the existence of different types of cells is not discarded. 49% of the rate constant for the Na efflux is ouabain-sensitive and 23% is ethacrynic-sensitive. Under control conditions the permeability to potassium (PK), sodium (PNa) and chloride (PC1) are 7.6 X 10(-5), 2.6 X 10(-5) and 2.8 X 10(-5) liters/min mg, respectively. The value of PNa is much higher than predicted by current electrical models of the epithelium. The discrepancy might offer some insight into the nature of the "inner facing barrier" of the skin.