Renal bicarbonate reabsorption in the rat. IV. Bicarbonate transport mechanisms in the early and late distal tubule.

Bicarbonate transport was studied in vivo by separate microperfusion experiments of early and late distal tubules. Total CO2 was measured by microcalorimetry and fluid absorption by 3H-inulin. Significant bicarbonate absorption was observed in all experimental conditions. Bicarbonate transport was load-dependent upon increasing the luminal bicarbonate concentration from 15 to 50 mM in both early and late distal tubule segments and remained constant at higher concentrations at a maximum rate of 100-110 pmol/min per mm. At low lumen bicarbonate concentrations (15 mM), higher rates of bicarbonate absorption were observed in early (32.9 +/- 4.57 pmol/min per mm) as compared to late distal tubules (10.7 +/- 3.1 pmol/min per mm). Amiloride and ethyl-isopropylamiloride both inhibited early but not late distal tubule bicarbonate absorption whereas acetazolamide blocked bicarbonate transport in both tubule segments. Fluid absorption was significantly reduced in both tubule segments by amiloride but only in early distal tubules by ethyl-isopropylamiloride. Substitution of lumen chloride by gluconate increased bicarbonate absorption in late but not in early distal tubules. Bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of H-ATPase, inhibited late and also early distal tubule bicarbonate absorption, the latter at higher concentration. After 8 d on a low K diet, bicarbonate absorption increased significantly in both early and late distal tubules. Schering compound 28080, a potent H-K ATPase inhibitor, completely blocked this increment of bicarbonate absorption in late but not in early distal tubule. The data suggest bicarbonate absorption via Na(+)-H+ exchange and H-ATPase in early, but only by amiloride-insensitive H+ secretion (H-ATPase) in late distal tubules. The study also provides evidence for activation of K(+)-H+ exchange in late distal tubules of K depleted rats. Indirect evidence implies a component of chloride-dependent bicarbonate secretion in late distal tubules and suggests that net bicarbonate transport at this site results from bidirectional bicarbonate movement.