Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase II in subpopulations of intercalated cells of the rat kidney.

At least two configurations of intercalated cells, type A and type B, are present in the cortical collecting duct. Intercalated cells are rich in carbonic anhydrase. However, it is not known whether there are differences in the level and subcellular distribution of this enzyme between type A and type B intercalated cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative content and intracellular distribution of carbonic anhydrase II in the various subpopulations of intercalated cells in the rat collecting duct. A rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against mouse erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase II was employed to localize carbonic anhydrase, II by light and electron microscopy by an indirect immunoperoxidase method. A Western immunoblot analysis of homogenates of rat kidney cortex and medulla with the carbonic anhydrase II antibody revealed a single polypeptide band at 29 kDa corresponding to the molecular size of carbonic anhydrase II. By both light and electron microscopy, carbonic anhydrase II immunoreactivity was present in all intercalated cells but the intensity of staining was much greater in type A than in type B cells. In addition, immunostaining in type A cells was especially pronounced in the apical cytoplasm and apical microprojections whereas in type B cells, immunostaining was more diffuse throughout the cytoplasm. A third configuration of intercalated cell with diffuse immunostaining for carbonic anhydrase II was occasionally observed in the connecting segment. Very weak immunostaining was present in principal cells, whereas connecting tubule cells and inner medullary collecting duct cells were negative for carbonic anhydrase II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)