Influence of barium on the effects of phenylalanine in proximal tubules.

The present study was designed to further test for the role of peritubular potassium conductance in the repolarization of peritubular cell membrane during sustained stimulation of sodium coupled transport by phenylalanine. To this end the potential difference across the peritubular cell membrane (PDpt) has been recorded continuously, while 10 mmol/l phenylalanine (Phe) were added to the luminal perfusate, both in the presence or absence of peritubular or luminal barium (1 mmol/l). In the absence of phenylalanine and barium, PDpt amounts to -65.5 +/- 2.2 mV. Phe leads to a rapid depolarization of the peritubular cell membrane by +36.2 +/- 2.2 mV within 30 s, followed by an almost complete repolarization by -28.9 +/- 2.6 mV within 7 min. In the presence of barium in peritubular perfusate, the depolarization following Phe is +24.3 +/- 2.6 mV and the repolarization almost abolished (-4.3 +/- 0.9 mV). In the presence of barium in luminal perfusate, Phe leads to a depolarization by +35.7 +/- 2.4 mV followed by a repolarization of -17.0 +/- 3.2 mV within 7 min. It is concluded that the repolarization during sustained stimulation of sodium coupled transport is in large part due to alterations of peritubular potassium conductance.