Cytotoxic effect of choline, abolished by furosemide, in the diluting segment of frog kidney.

Previous observations suggest that luminal application of tetra-N-alkylammonium ions may impair ion transport in the amphibian diluting segment. To investigate this question conventional KCl-filled and Cl- sensitive microelectrodes were applied in diluting segments of the isolated perfused kidney of rana esculenta to evaluate transepithelial electrical and chloride electrochemical (PDte, EClte) as well as peritubular cell membrane potential difference (PDpt), measured at static head conditions. After determination of control values the tubule lumen was exposed to choline (95 mmol/l, substituted for Na+) both in presence or absence of furosemide (5 X 10(-5) mol/l). Then, the lumen was again perfused with control solution and the measurements were repeated. Thus, a time course for possible choline induced effects was obtained both in the presence and absence of furosemide. The lumen positive PDte decreased from 11.2 +/- 1.0 mV to 6.3 +/- 0.8 mV after 2 min and to 1.9 +/- 0.4 mV after 30 min exposure to choline. PDpt (cell interior negative) decreased from 70 +/- 2 mV to 58 +/- 3 mV and to 42 +/- 5 mV after 2 and 30 min, respectively. Intraluminal Cl- activity increased from its initial steady state value of 20 +/- 2 mmol/l to 39 +/- 2 mmol/l after 30 min exposure to choline. However, if the tubule lumen was exposed to choline in presence of furosemide (5 X 10(-5) mol/l), all the above described choline-induced effects did not become apparent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)