Membrane potential measurements of transitional cells from the crista ampullaris of the gerbil. Effects of barium, quinidine, quinine, tetraethylammonium, cesium, ammonium, thallium and ouabain.

Transitional cells of the crista ampullaris were impaled with microelectrodes in order to record the membrane potential (PD) and to investigate membrane properties. In control solution the PD was -87 +/- 1 mV (n = 103). This value is not significantly different from -83 +/- 2 mV (n = 24) measured in Cl- free solution. [Cl-] steps from 150 to 15 mmol/l (n = 24) depolarized the membrane by about 2 mV, indicating a minor Cl- conductance. The transference number for K+ was 0.75 +/- 0.01 (n = 79) obtained from the PD responses to K+ steps from 3.6 to 25 mmol/l. The cell membrane depolarized and the amplitude of PD responses to [K+] steps was reduced by Ba2+ (2.10(-6) to 10(-3) mol/l), quinidine (10(-3) mol/l), quinine (10(-3) mol/l), Rb+ (20 mmol/l), Cs+ (20 mmol/l), NH4+ (20 mmol/l) and Tl+ (0.5 mmol/l), whereas tetraethylammonium (TEA, 20 mmol/l) had no effect. The dose-response curve for Ba2+ in the presence of 3.6 mmol/l K+ was shifted to the right by approximately three decades in the presence of 25 mmol/l K+ and by a factor of about 4 in the presence of 135 mmol/l gluconate as a substitute for Cl-. Transitional cells were depolarized by ouabain, suggesting the presence of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.